


Sometimes It's Soft Hands and Mailing Envelopes

by inkheart9459



Series: Insults [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-03 21:24:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 106,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4115413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkheart9459/pseuds/inkheart9459
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their whirlwind weekend in Copenhagen, Beca's now in LA looking for an apartment, snapchatting, texting, calling, skyping, hell she'd be smoke signalling Mina if she could because she misses her already. She's counting the days before Mina's plane lands, but before that, there's a lot to do to find a home for them and get it ready.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Holy shit, guys. I've literally never had a response like the one I had for the last fic and then this sequel. Like I don't think a day past without someone asking me on fanfic or on tumblr when I'd release the sequel. Like I don't even know what to say. I'm so beyond happy that you guys liked the first story THAT much. So 3 I hope you guys like this just as much. And with that, enjoy.

Beca groaned as her phone went off. She was going to kill whoever was on the other end of the line. Didn’t they realize it was before noon? What respectable person was up before noon?

She fumbled around on the nightstand for her phone and stabbed the answer button. “Hello?” she growled out.

“Ah, little mouse, glad to see the first phone call actually woke you up this time,” Mina’s phone came through the phone.

Beca groaned again. “It can’t be nine.”

“Well, for you, yes. For me, no, but I believe you already knew that.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ve been up for hours. Don’t rub it in my face that it’s morning here and evening there. I’ll call you at like four a.m. or something to get you back.”

“Mmm, I believe that would be a very bad idea, little mouse. You believe I am scary when I lead DSM, but me woken up in the middle of the night might be worse.”

“I don’t believe you.” She stretched, letting out a vaguely sexual noise. Her mind flashed back to that glorious few days in Copenhagen where Mina had actually invoked real sexual noises. She shivered. Two months, one week, and two days until Mina was beside her once again.

She sat up and started to gather her stuff for today. Another Saturday wasted to real estate hunting. If she didn’t actually love Mina she would have flown to Germany and shoved her off the nearest cliff for being so picky. She had found something she was happy with the first week she was there and had all the free time in the world to look before she started her job, but Mina had rejected every single thing she’d seen.

“I think that would be foolish, not to believe me.”

Beca mumbled out a non-answer. She hit the speaker button and started to pull on her clothes. “Where am I looking today?” she asked, tugging her shirt into place.

“Key Lakes, Blue Marina, City Metroplex, and a few places that aren’t in apartment complexes,” Mina said.

“Anyone of those really suit your fancy just from what’s online or is this another mission where I’m going to have to take so many snapchat pictures it isn’t going to be funny?” She hopped into her pants and sat down to throw on some socks.

“City Metroplex looked promising. It was well within our price range, close to both the school and your job, and had nice modern architecture.”

Ugh, modern architecture. Beca hated modern architecture, but as long as it had a decent kitchen and bedroom she was willing to brush that fact off. She just wanted a place to call her own and to not live out of a hotel room. Over two weeks was getting to be a little much.

“Did it have any amenities?”

“In apartment laundry and there was gym which I thought was a lovely addition.”

Beca nodded along. Not bad. One for two things that she wanted, really, but a pool wasn’t a make or break issue. Or at least she didn’t think it would be. She would probably think differently when it got to be a 105 degrees, but that was beside the point.

“Ok cool, you texted me the schedule and everything?”

“Of course, liebling. I did that before I called you.”

“Awesome, you’re completely awesome, beautiful.”

“Thank you, I do try.”

Beca snorted and rolled her eyes. “Believe me, that I do know.” She finished tying up her shoes. “How long do I have until the first appointment?”

“An hour and a half.”

“Cool. So how was your day?” Beca got up and started to scrounge around for a granola bar.

“It was nice. Practice went well. Pieter’s new arrangements seem to work well with the talent we have and Emma’s choreography is coming together to match it.”

“Does it still feel weird that you’re not dancing and singing with them when they run the set?” Beca crowed triumphantly as she finally found the box of granola bars she’d hidden away for later.

“A bit, but it’s getting easier. It wasn’t as if I never stood off to the side to assess errors, but it was never continually. Though being outside the entire time it’s been much easier to catch errors before they’ve become a habit. Everything is progressing faster because of that, so there was tradeoffs I suppose.” Beca could practically hear Mina shrug.

“You don’t have rehearsal tomorrow right?”

“No, of course not, it’s Sunday.”

“Skype tomorrow morning your time, you adorable early bird?” She shucked the wrapper off the granola bar an bit off a bite, crumbs going everywhere. Of course she’d like the damn granola bars that were the messiest. She said a silent sorry to the maids that were going to have to clean this room. She’d leave it as neat as she could, but she could still see some poor person finding crumbs everywhere and cursing her name.

“I can tell you about everything that the pictures don’t show then.”

Mina’s voice was soft. “I would like that very much. I miss your face already.”

Beca bit back a smile. Mina was always open with her, but somewhere in the back of her mind Beca knew that it required a huge amount of trust on Mina’s part, and Beca was glad that she was on the receiving end of such faith.

“Yeah, me too.” She sighed as she thought about the countdown again. “How many days exactly?”

“Sixty-nine for both of us at the moment.”

Beca, of course, had to snicker like some teenage boy.

“What’s so funny about that?”

Fuck, of course that would be one of the few things that Mina didn’t know in the English language. Sex terms were so awkward to talk about. She would totally like to demonstrate this one instead. She groaned again for an entirely different reason. Jesus. She needed Jesus.

“Um, sixty-nine is a slang term for when two people give each other oral at the same time. Supposedly you look like the numbers six and nine while doing it, but I don’t know where that really came from.” She could feel herself blushing bright red. She took another bite of her granola bar and hoped that this conversation would take a completely different direction. Like right then.

“Mmm,” Mina hummed, low enough that the phone almost didn’t catch the sound properly. “That sounds like a lovely position. Perhaps we will try it out when I arrive?”

Beca could imagine the damn smirk that went with that too, and it totally wasn’t helping her predicament. “Jesus, you know I have to leave the hotel room today, right?”

“Ja, but what fun would it be if I didn’t play with my little mouse?”

“Mina,” she whined.

“Fine, fine, I suppose I will quit. For now.”

Mina was totally determined to make this the three most sexually frustrating months of her life, Beca just knew it. She would return the favor, but whereas Mina was almost made of stone when she was teasing Beca, Beca would just end up frustrating herself too in the process.

“Evil, evil woman.”

“That I have never denied.”

Beca shook herself. Right. She had to put this conversation back on track herself then. “So anything else exciting happen today?”

“Not really, Mama and Papa have been home for an hour or so. Claudia was off with her friends for most of the day. Mama is making dinner right now, so we’ll all have diner together in a while. Other than that, I’ve just been lazing around the house alone.”

“I can hardly see you just lazing around the house. What were you reading some scientific journal in your spare time and calling that lazing around the house?”

“What’s wrong with that?” There was a cocked eyebrow implied in the tone of Mina’s voice.

Beca paused for just a second. “Oh my god, that’s totally what you did, isn’t it?”

“It might have been,” Mina said with just a hint of defensiveness to her tone.

“That’s super great for you, engel, but most people wouldn’t call that lazing around. That’s usually considered work. Considering I would need a dictionary for like every other word and Google for everything else, it would definitely be work for me.”

“You’ve taken one college chemistry class, of course it would be work for you. It’s always a great amount of work to understand concepts you have no basis of knowledge for,” Mina said. “Though, to be honest, there are still some things that even I have to read two or three times to really understand. Everyone has a specialty and while I have all the foundation work to understand what they’re saying, there are still concepts that take some time to sink it. Academics like to pretend that they understand everything on first glance, but it’s untrue.”

“Nice to know. But you’re brilliant, so.”

“And you are brilliant in a different way, liebling. The way your brain works with music is fascinating and I have absolute faith you will go far in your field, just as you believe that I will go far within mine.”

Beca smiled softly. “Smooth talker.”

“That would imply a level of insincerity.”

“I didn’t mean the insincerity part. It’s just that you always seem to know what to say sometimes. Other times you’re about as eloquent as a brick wall, but then again since my permanent setting around you is babbling I can’t really say anything.”

Mina laughed into the phone, the distance distorting the sound, but Beca still felt warmth blossom within her.

“We make quite the pair.”

“Yeah, we do.” Beca crumpled up the wrapper from her granola bar and sighed. She probably should get going so she could get to the first place on time, but she didn’t want to stop talking to Mina. Then again she never wanted to stop talking to Mina, so there really wasn’t a change there. Oi, she had gone from completely a loner to clingy as fuck in just over four years. It was totally all the Bellas fault to, though if she ever told them that they would just smile at her and look proud of themselves, especially Fat Amy and Chloe.

As if reading her mind Mina said, “You need to go, little mouse. The first place is across town from your hotel and it will take you the better part of an hour to get there.”

Beca sighed. “At least it isn’t rush hour really anymore. Small favors.” She grabbed up her car keys and wallet and looked around the room to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything ridiculously important.

“I tried to arrange it so the apartments you’re looking at today will range from farthest away from your hotel to closest, so even if you take a good while, you shouldn’t be stuck in evening rush hour long.”

“You’re too good to me.”

“Never, mouse.”

Beca bit her lip, knowing that she should say goodbye, but putting it off for just a few seconds longer. She wouldn’t get to talk to Mina again until later at night. Snapchats and texts were nice, but they weren’t any replacement for Mina’s voice, even distorted by thousands of miles.

Of course, Mina’s mother took the choice of actually hanging up from her. There was yelling in the background, and even if Beca couldn’t actually hear what was being said on the other end of the line, the tone was clear enough. Dinner was ready and Mina had to go eat with her family.

“Guess that’s our cue to hang up then,” Beca said, walking for the door of her room.

“Yes, it is. I believe she made my and Claudia’s favorite dish. I will have to fight her for it.”

Beca laughed. “Go do that. By the time you’re done hopefully the first round of picture will be there for you to critique.”

“Wonderful, auf wiedersehen kleine maus.”

“Bye, engel.” Beca finally pulled the phone away from her face and hit end just as the door to the elevator opened. She got in the car and punched the button for the ground floor, sighing and looking at her phone. Their conversations were never long enough. She wasn’t sure they’d ever be long enough, even when Mina was actually in LA.

She shook herself when the elevator hit the ground floor and walked out to her car. Traffic wasn’t bad and she got to the first place, Blue Marina, with a few minutes to spare. Beca found a parking space and hopped out, heading for the super’s office. She looked around as she went. The place looked nicer than some of the places she’d been to. It was all white stucco and palm trees around. She could see herself living here, even if it was a little bit of a pain in the ass for both her and Mina to get to their respective jobs, school, whatever.

The super showed her up to the apartment and just stood off to the side, looking annoyed that she was even existing near him. Beca pulled out her phone and texted Mina immediately.

“Before I start sending pics, the super here kinda seems like he would be an asshole if we ever had any problems. Like he’s standing off to the side, crossed arms and bad attitude right now.”

Mina texted her back before she could open snapchat to start sending pictures. “Well then, look around and take pictures like you’re actually considering, ask a few questions, and then leave. We do not need to live in an apartment complex that will treat us like dogs.”

In this Mina, really did have a point. Beca made a face and started to look around. “Ok, prepare for pic spam then.”

Beca took pictures of the kitchen. She was glad that the super had been an ass because the cabinets in this kitchen were abysmal, and maybe a little bit out of her reach, but that had nothing to do with why she didn’t like them. There just weren’t many of them and the fact that there was a nice island and that the kitchen was at least decently sized didn’t make up for it. Where the hell would they put things without cabinets?

The living room/dining area took most of the hit size-wise for the kitchen being bigger. Beca’s snapchat titles were along the lines of “I don’t even think a mouse could fit in here” to which Mina of course replied that there already was a mouse in there. Beca rolled her eyes and continued into bedroom and bathroom. She took a picture of herself in the bathroom mirror with her tongue sticking out. “Don’t think this bathroom’s been cleaned in a while, ew.”

She made her way out into the main living area again to see the super was still leaning against the wall, bad attitude and all. Beca took a breath.

“So, are there any amenities with the apartment, or is what I see what I get?”

“Laundry’s downstairs, pool in the middle of the complex, and there’s an AC.”

Oh boy when air conditioning made the list of amenities in LA Beca always cringed. “All right then. I have a bunch more places to look today, but I’ll keep this in mind.”

The guy rolled his eyes and motioned Beca through the door. Beca obliged and said a last goodbye before fleeing. She pulled out her phone once more and brought up her texts with Mina.

“K, so I’m glad I didn’t actually have to consider that apartment because it really was sort of crappy.”

“I agree.”

“Here’s hoping the next one is better or today is going to be another bust. :( I really don’t want to live in a hotel forever.”

“It will work out, liebling. We will find the place we belong.”

“I already found the place I belong, and it’s in your perfectly toned arms. I just want a nice place for us to live, you know?” Beca threw her phone in her seat as she started up her car and made her way to the next place.

Key Lakes looked a little worse for wear, but not super bad. Beca could live with it. She grabbed her phone up and looked at Mina’s reply.

“Now who’s being the smooth talker? But as I said, we will find it. I have more lists in case today does not work, as much as I know that you don’t want to be in that hotel room, mouse, I know you will appreciate the search when you walk into the right apartment and babble on to me about why it’s perfect.”

Beca sighed. Yeah, she was right, but damn it, why did she have to be right? And it was amazing how her version of good enough had turned into this vision of perfect because she wanted everything for her and Mina to work out like some sort of Disney fairytale that she hadn’t actually watched yet. She ran her hand through her hair and walked into yet another super’s office.

This super was a nice middle aged lady. Beca liked her immediately, but unfortunately the apartment she showed her, not so much. The first snapchat Beca sent Mina with just the title, kitchen garnered an immediate text back from Mina with NO in capital letters. Beca walked around the apartment a little more, but really it was a little bit too grungy, and a lot too small to do. She asked all the right questions and smiled and talked to the woman some more before she took her leave with as sincere a promise as she could make that she’d really consider the place.

“God, I really hate being social sometimes,” Beca sent as she made her way back out to her car. “It’s just, she was so nice and I really don’t want to disappoint her or anything and I don’t even know her. Jesus, this is exhausting.”

“You’re too good for the world sometimes.”

“Oh don’t pretend like you aren’t a huge teddy bear under the whole Kommissar persona.”

“Only for you,” Mina sent back before Beca threw her car in gear and set off towards the first of the apartments that wasn’t in a complex.

The neighborhood wasn’t the greatest but then again for the price range they were looking for, she wasn’t sure that anything outside of an apartment complex would be in the greatest place. Beca bit the inside of her lip. She could totally imagine Mina going all super protective of her if they lived anywhere even vaguely sketchy. She could already hear the words ‘but you are so tiny someone could take you so easily’ coming out of Mina’s mouth. That would be slightly cute and also slightly nightmare-ish. She was, after all, a grown adult. She could take care of herself. She had pepper spray for a reason, damn it.

“Here we go again,” she sent Mina. “After this I’m grabbing something to eat. I’m starving.”

“That would not happen, mouse, if you actually ate a real breakfast instead of those measly granola bars.”

Beca groaned. The breakfast lecture. Not again. The second she had told Mina that she only really ate granola bars for breakfast was the second she signed her own death warrant, she was sure.

“It’s all I have time for, and no I don’t want to hear the ‘get up sooner, little mouse, and you would have time’ part of this conversation. I like sleep. Not all of us get up at seven in the morning like it’s fucking natural. :P”

“Suit yourself mouse.”

Beca rolled her eyes and put her phone aside. She was sure that this would be revisited basically every day they lived together, but for now that was over two months away and she was going to use her get out of jail free cars while she damn well could.

The apartment itself wasn’t bad, save for the fact that they’d have to go to a laundromat down the block for clean clothes. The kitchen was nice and big, but the rest of the apartment didn’t suffer for it, the bathroom actually had both a shower and a nice sized tub which Beca immediately snapped a picture to Mina with the title “I think I know some things that we could do here ;)”

Mina immediately snapped back a picture of her in the mirror, only her bra on and a smirk. “Really, mouse? Like bathe?” Another picture later showed Mina with a towel around her shoulders, sans bra. Beca swallowed hard and prayed to god that the old man showing her the place wouldn’t come up behind her for the glorious ten seconds she was staring at that picture. Beca almost forgot to read the caption, “Like I am about to? Brb.”

Yup, Mina was out to kill her. Jesus. She shook herself and kept sending pictures of everything. She thanked the old man and asked for his favorite restaurant around. If she was considering the place she might as well get a look at what the food around tasted like. Good restaurants would only up the place on the list of possibles from today. If Mina continued to agree once she was out of the shower anyway.

She grabbed some pretty awesome tacos from the place the man had recommended and headed on her way. Awesome food, check, at least from one place. The next place was another free standing apartment, in a nicer neighborhood, but it was smaller. Even with on sight laundry Beca wasn’t super pleased.

She opened her messages from Mina as her phone vibrated. She had taken a damn long time in the shower. And then her mind was off on just what Mina could have been doing in the shower for so long and her mind was gone. Jesus, she needed to focus on this apartment hunt, not on what Mina’s hands were up to in the shower.

“The place you were just at has potential, I agree. Continue to look at everything today, but if there’s nothing else that strikes our fancy I suggest we go with that one.”

Beca almost jumped for joy, but that would be a little weird in front of a little Hispanic woman who was even shorter than she was. She might question Beca’s sanity. Which probably wasn’t hard to do anyway. Whatever.

“You loving anything about this place?” Beca asked over a picture of the living room. It was furnished with a mishmash of things that did not go together, but furniture was furniture she guessed.

“Not particularly.” Was over a picture of Mina’s frowning face, her hair wet down around her shoulders and a towel covering her body. There was another picture a second later showing Mina with her eyebrow raised. “And why is that chair such a godawful color?”

She had to mean the orange one that looked like someone had puked it up. Beca sent back a selfie of her shrugging before she turned to the lady and said she’d seen enough.

The last of the free standing apartments for the day took the cake as worst of the day. The outside as falling apart and if she had thought the super of the first place had been bad the actual interrogation that the guy put her through about her ability to ‘pay the damn rent’ made that seem laughable. She wished Mina was there to scare the absolute shit out of him, but she was still almost six thousand miles away, so that wasn’t going to happen. She just smiled at him, told him to go fuck himself, and walked away. It probably wasn’t impressive, but at least it made her feel a little better.

“Yeah, ok, have you been looking at reviews of the supers of these places? Because if you haven’t please start. Not that this is an issue anymore if we take that once place, but for future reference.”

“What happened, mouse?” Mina sent almost instantly.

“Just another asshole. It’s nothing horrible. I dealt with it. But you aren’t getting any pictures of that last apartment let’s say that. If the inside was as bad as the outside you didn’t want any, anyway.”

“I see. At least the end is near, liebling.”

“Ja, it is, thank god.” Beca just stared at the text message, realizing that she’d actually used ja instead of yes without any conscious decision on her part. Mina was rubbing off on her, it seemed.

She put her phone away and drove to the last place, the one that Mina had mentioned she already had hopes for. Maybe it would be better than the one apartment. Maybe it wouldn’t. For once it actually didn’t matter. They probably had a place to live. She was ready to get her nonexistent pom poms out just for that.

  City Metroplex was as Mina described, all modern architecture and clean lines and angles. It wasn’t horrible looking, at least. Whoever had designed it had erred on the side of caution when designing, probably realizing it was a fucking apartment complex and now a work of art, and had stayed away from anything really fucking crazy. She could live with it.

The older black woman who came out to greet her had a nice big smile. Beca relaxed a little bit. She wasn’t going to shouted at thank you Jesus.

“Hi there, you must be Beca, nice to meet you. I’m Denise.” She stuck out a hand which Beca shook immediately. “Come on up and I’ll show you the apartment we have open. Lovely little place. You said you’d be sharing with your girlfriend, yes?”

“Actually she’s the one who filled out all the paperwork. I’m the one who got the job of going to look at everything.”

Denise chuckled. “Well, it’s always good to divide up the labor, dear. But the apartment is perfect for a first couple’s apartment. There’s enough space that you both can have your own area without feeling like you’re stepping all over each other. And if you like to cook the kitchens here are divine. Laundry’s in the apartment, which is always a plus, I hear, and the gym is open twenty-four seven. It’s not a big place, a few treadmills, an entire set of free weights, a couple weight machines, a stair stepper, and room for aerobics or whatever you want, it’s not much, but it gets the job done.” She looked over her shoulder at Beca and smiled.

Beca smiled back, glad that for once she wasn’t the one doing the talking. It was nice after a day of prying out details from other supers.

The woman led them to a door and opened it. Beca stepped through and stopped. Wow. Holy, wow. The modern outside had translated into a rather open floor plan in the apartment. The kitchen, living room, and dining area were all one room technically, but the island served as a divider for the kitchen, and the dining room part was section off cleverly a half wall with a few cabinets for storing whatever. Beca felt as if there were almost three rooms, but she wasn’t cramped inside each one.

“This is the nicest thing I’ve seen all day,” Beca said to Denise, immediately pulling out her phone and taking pictures.

“I bet. The real estate scene around town is sometimes rather dreadful at best,” Denise said, stepping into the apartment and shutting the door behind them.

After watching Beca take pictures for a few minutes, Denise spoke up again. “You know, dear, you can always come back with your girlfriend and see the place again. There’s no need for all the pictures if you don’t want.”

“Uh, yeah, I would totally have dragged her to at least a few by now, we’ve been looking for two weeks, but she’s in Germany until the school year starts, so.” Beca shrugged.

“Ah, then snap away. Always important to keep your significant other informed and happy.”

“Definitely.” She finished taking pictures of the kitchen, which Beca wanted to find a baking pan right now and set to work making a batch of cookies right then, the place was that damn awesome. She moved on to the bedroom, looking at the extra doors in the hall with curiosity, but leaving them for later. Denise followed behind her serenely, content to let Beca explore on her own while being available for questions.

The bedroom was just as open as the living room, giving it the same airy feel. Beca felt relaxed just walking in the place. Before her she saw the space scattered with her things, mixed with Mina’s, the bed unmade and extremely comfy looking. She blinked again and the image was gone, but the feeling of home didn’t leave her. She sent a snap to Mina with the caption “Home sweet home?” over it.

She went on exploring. The bathroom was nice, though sans tub. She thought she could live with that with everything else. The shower stall, however, still looked big enough for shenanigans if they wanted, and really she had to stop thinking about stuff like this. It had only been three weeks, not an eternity since she’d last gotten laid. Her hormones needed to stop.

Beca walked out of the bedroom and back towards the other doors. She opened one. The area was small, not really big enough for a bedroom and a little too big for a closet. She peeked her head out at Denise. “What are these rooms?”

“They’re technically meant for storage, but it’s up to you, dear. I’ve seen people use them for walk in closets, for small offices, bedrooms, though I imagine that was rather cramped, that’s why we only advertise this was a one bedroom, and everything in-between. Sky’s the limit, as they say. These are what I meant by you both can have your own space. There is one for each of you.”

Beca smiled and took a picture. “Extra rooms, study 4 you and office 4 me?”

A second later Mina was calling her. “Mouse, that one, this is the one.”

Beca laughed. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too.”

“I’m glad we are on the same page. Go sign the paperwork then to make it completely official and let me know of the details.”

“Will do. I love you.”

“Ich liebe dich, mouse.” Mina hung up.

Beca turned back to Denise. “So, we’re gonna take it.” She smiled.

“I thought you would, dear. Come on and we’ll get the paperwork started. I imagine you’re eager to move in.”

“You have no idea.” Beca followed the woman out of the apartment with a giant smile on her face. Finally, no hotel living for her. She may have danced when Denise wasn’t looking, but there were no witnesses, so it was fine. She had an apartment. No, she and Mina had an apartment. And it was a great feeling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hot damn I woke up to like 120 emails the morning after I posted this. So thank you guys for that. I love your enthusiasm. I decided to make this every two days for updates because I'm busier now and I don't want you guys to have to wait long between chapters. Two days gives more of a buffer. So with that, enjoy.

Beca yawned and hit the call button on Skype. She was going to regret this tomorrow, and probably for the rest of the week, but she didn’t care. She was going to talk to Mina, damn it. So what if she had a million things to do tomorrow and then work the next day.

The screen fuzzed out for just a second before Mina’s face came into focus. Beca smiled and sat up a little bit more.

“Good morning, liebling.”

“Technically I can say good morning and have it be right, too. It’s after midnight.”

Mina frowned, the action freezing mid-frame leaving her with a ridiculous expression before skype actually caught up again. “You need your sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll get sleep, don’t worry. I just want to talk to you. I need that too.”

Mina huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes. “I suppose, but we will not be on here long. I will not the cause of your extreme sleep deprivation.”

Beca wiggled her eyebrows comically. “Are you sure about that.”

“Were I there, no, but I am still in Germany so the answer is yes. You’ll have to wait to be kept up like that, mouse.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to. Just invent teleportation or something. You’re a scientist. You can do it.”

“I have a degree in chemistry, not theoretical physics. As intertwined as chemistry and physics are, I do not think teleportation is one of those entwined areas.”

Beca put her head down on the keyboard and groaned. “Are you sure?”

“I am very sure.”

She sat up again. “Fine, but while you’re at Caltech you have to make a friend who’s working on teleportation so we can be like the first in line when that’s a thing. This whole three month thing sucks.”

Mina nodded. “I know, little mouse, I’m not exactly fond of it myself, but I can’t exactly pick up an entire discipline in a day just to invent teleportation. Quite frankly I’m not sure it’s possible, but since I’m not versed in the field I couldn’t tell you for sure. Unless you want to be the one who magically learns enough physics overnight we’re at an impasse.”

Beca felt her eyes widen comically. “Uh, no, science wasn’t really ever my thing. High school physics was almost painful. Why do you think I took chemistry for my lab credit in college?”

Mina chuckled. “See.” She shook her head. Her lips moved a second later but the audio had cut out. Beca waited for it to kick back in. She hated Skype, she really did, but at least it was a way to see and communicate with Mina easily.

When she heard the sound go back on she sat forward again. “What was that, it just cut out so I could see your lips moving, but I literally actually couldn’t hear anything.”

“Aren’t literally and actually the same thing?”

“Literally in American English has become the opposite in a great many cases. But actually what I was meaning is there’s a grade school thing that’s all about I can see your lips moving but I can’t hear anything you’re saying. Which of course you can and whatever, you’re just being a little shit because you’re like seven, but whatever. But in this case it actually was true so, not being a little shit.”

“But you are still little.” Mina smirked.

“Yeah, well, I always will be little considering most woman have been done growing for years at twenty-two.” The stuck out her tongue. “Not all of us can be huge German Goddesses. What’s even in Alpine soil that makes you all grow so big?”

“Miracle Grow.”

Beca looked off into the distance for a minute. She had walked right into that one and she knew it.

“Right, yeah. Smartass.”

“Of course, but I am your smartass.” There was another smirk before Mina straightened again. “So how did the signing of the paperwork go?”

“Well the super’s actually a really nice lady, so it went well. So many places to sign I think my hand might be fucking falling off. I gave her the safety deposit and told her I’d be back with the first and last month’s rent. After we pay that the apartment is ours. It’s available immediately so money paid means I can finally get out of this fucking hotel room oh my god.”

Mina smiled. “Good, good. I’ll transfer my half of the rent into your account so you may move in as soon as possible. I wouldn’t want you to suffer any longer in a plush hotel room or anything,” she deadpanned.

“Hey! It’s not like it’s home or anything. There isn’t even a microwave.”

“I will give you that it doesn’t have a great many features, but I’m sure you’re just suffering greatly, mouse.”

Beca scowled but before she could say anything Mina was continuing on.

“What is my official half of the rent?”

“A thousand a month. It’s definitely a great place for the price.”

“Mmm, yes.” There were sounds of clicking and Mina’s face turned to a focused look of concentration. A minute later Mina sat back. “There, done. You can pay the first and last month’s rent now.”

“Awesome, thanks.” Beca smiled. Tomorrow she would have an apartment officially. Thank god. “We’re going to have to do so much shopping oh my god.” She rubbed her hands over her face. She knew her Dad was going to send her some house warming stuff when she told him that she’d actually found a place, but there were still a bunch of things they would need to make the place completely livable even if it was furnished.

“Once you give us our address I can do some of the shopping online for us.” Mina smirked. “Somehow I don’t see you as one of the girls who loves to spend hours shopping.”

Beca shook her head. “Unless it’s for kitchen implements, then for some reason I’m all over it, but yeah, sheets and shit, no.”

“Well then you can handle the kitchen implements, and together we can make a list for the rest.”

Beca nodded. “Yeah, ok, sounds good. God, out snapchats are never going to get a rest.”

“If we do at least some of it online then they will. Copy pasting URLs into Skype’s chat should work well enough, ja?”

“Ja, thank god for Amazon.” She ran her hands through her hair. “No one ever really informed me what work getting an apartment was, let alone actually getting it set up.” She huffed out a breath. “Who even let me be an adult? I’m not ready for this. I mean I have a job and now an apartment but.” She shook her head and looked back at Mina who was smiling at her with a soft expression on her face.

“I think you will be fine, little mouse, most of adulthood is faking it anyway. At least that is what my parents have told me, and now that I am not sixteen anymore, I realize they are usually right.”

Beca snorted. “I can’t even imagine you as a sixteen year old.”

“I assure you, I did age normally and I am not an android. I believe I heard the Bellas speculating that I was one more than a few times.”

She looked away. “I totally didn’t say that or anything, eheh?”

Mina laughed. “You are a terrible liar, liebling. But I’ll show you a few pictures of me in high school. Or there is my Facebook. Everything will be in German, but I believe you can figure it out.”

Before Mina even stopped talking Beca had minimized the Skype window and was typing in Mina Stauss into the search bar on Facebook. “What, were you like perfect even back then, too?”

“Ah, not so much. I had braces, as many sixteen year olds do, though by sixteen I had gotten rid of the glasses.”

Beca minimized Facebook to pull up Skype again. “What, you had glasses?”

Mina reached over on screen, image blurring out and coming back into focus as she stopped for just a second. There was the sound of scrabbling and then Mina made a satisfied noise before sitting back again. She slipped a pair of glasses on her face and cocked an eyebrow at Beca.

“I still down, mouse. I can’t wear contacts all the time, now can I?”

Beca blinked for a few seconds. Ah yes, she didn’t need those ovaries anyway, right? Because they were totally on their way to Mina and those ridiculously sexy, black rimmed glasses that were sitting on her nose adorably. How Mina could be both sexy and adorable at the same time she wasn’t sure, but she was totally pulling it off and Beca was so god damn conflicted.

“Words, Beca, you can use them.” The smirk on Mina’s face was wicked.

“No, I’m pretty sure I can’t thanks to you. God damn sexy librarian angel goddess.”

Mina laughed, throwing her head back and exposing her long neck. Beca really wanted to be able to just reach through the computer and kiss that neck, maybe leave a few bite marks to replace the ones that had faded from their night in Copenhagen. If they couldn’t invent teleportation, surely they could do something with virtual reality that could let that happen, right? Sometime like now? She groaned.

“You’re killing me. You’re going to come to LA to a pile of bones, sexually frustrated bones.”

“How can bones be sexually frustrated?” Mina just looked at her.

“Uh, well, I’m pretty sure there’s an innuendo in there that I could totally go for, but I’m just not going to.” She yawned. “I’m too tired for that.” She scooted down in the bed, arranging the pillows just how she wanted them. When she was settled she pulled the laptop up on her chest and angled the screen down so the camera was pointed at her once again. She winced at her picture. She wasn’t exactly model material in this position, but at least she was comfortable.

“Then sleep, mouse. I will not hold you here.”

“I’m too tired to go for the innuendo, but that doesn’t mean that I’m too tired to talk to you. We haven’t been talking that long.” Beca looked down at the task bar. “And I actually haven’t seen you at sixteen. You distracted me with those stupid sexy glasses on your stupid sexy face.” She clicked around some more and entered Mina’s photos scrolling way down and watching at Mina de-aged before her eyes.

“When did you get a Facebook anyway?” she asked, looking at a picture of Mina in a fencing outfit, helmet tucked under her arm, hair messy, with a medal around her neck and a smile plastered on her face.

“The beginning of what you would call my sophomore year.”

Beca hummed. “Yeah, basically the same for me.” She scrolled down some more. When she finally reached the end she clicked on the first picture and tapped her fingers as it loaded. She loved talking to Mina but Skype made her computer slow as fuck sometimes.

When the first picture opened she let out an involuntary “aww.” She sat up a bit more to get a better look. Mina was standing with her friends, who all were around the same height as she was, Jesus what did Germany feed them? She was in a t-shirt and jeans with her hair pulled back, smiling widely with a mouth full of braces, just like she said.

“You’re so cute and you don’t look like you’re about to murder the next person who walks in the door.” Beca clicked to the next picture to see younger Mina in a light pink flower print dress. She snickered and clicked a few more pictures where Mina was in attire in much the same line, along with scattered pictures of her just in casual wear. “Oh my god, you were so preppy when you were younger. When did that stop?”

“My final year of high school was when I started to become more of who I am now. You go on long enough and you can see that for yourself, mouse. I have no doubt that you’ll be back to look at every single one of the pictures.”

“Yup, you know me well.”

“We’re all very different people in high school.”

Beca snorted. “I’m not sure. I’m still moody, into music, and mostly anti-social. The only thing that’s really changed is my makeup skill level, how I dress, and the level of my anti-social tendencies.”

“Oh I’m sure there’s more than that, mouse.” There was a pause and the sound of clicking. “In fact, let’s find out.”

Beca groaned. “God just don’t look at me any different afterward.”

Mina laughed. “Yes, well, I don’t think you see me in pink floral print dresses anytime soon, do you?”

“Um, not really unless there’s like leather side panels.” Beca pictured that. “Never mind that would be horrible.”

“Ja, that’s what I was thinking.”

“Whatever, the point still stands that unless it’s black or leather I can’t see you in it. Unless it’s nothing because I can totally see you in nothing and it’s a beautiful picture.” Beca stared off into space for a second, just remembering what Mina looked like completely naked below her and Jesus take the wheel she couldn’t go half a day without thinking about this.

“Don’t drool all over your pillow, mouse,” Mina teased.

Beca yawned again, wide enough that she cracked her jaw. “I already do drool on my pillow sometimes when I’m sleeping. Just a spoiler alert for when you’re living with me.” She felt like slapping herself for that little outburst. Could she never play it cool? Just once?

“I think we all do that at some point, little mouse. It’s almost adorable, like a drooling baby.”

“I am a grown ass adult, I will cut you. Ok, well, probably not cut you because you’re too pretty, but I mean. Throw a pillow at you doesn’t exactly sound threatening, you know?”

Mina put her hands up and started to exaggeratedly shiver. “Oh no, whatever shall I do if you throw a pillow at me. With your tiny arms you would get no acceleration anyway.”

“What did you play softball or something really stereotypical?”

Mina scowled, confused. “Just in gym class, but why would it be stereotypical?”

Beca rubbed her face. “How come you know all the American things but the ones I don’t want to explain?” She sighed. “Anyway, it’s sort of a running gag in the U.S. that the only girls who play softball are lesbians. It’s a load of crap and yet at the same time it isn’t? Don’t ask me.” Beca shrugged.

“Oh, well, that was more fencing at my school.” Mina laughed. “The competition trips were…adventurous.”

“Oh my god, you slept with your whole fencing team?”

Mina titled her head back and forth. “Well, not all of them, little mouse, but a fair number. High school experimentation, you understand.”

“Most people experiment in college. Then again I did my experimenting after college and now I’m on Skype with your ass talking about this. Jesus, you’re lucky I’m so head over heels for your beautiful face and everything else really.”

Mina hummed. “And here I thought that the Bellas were rather more…incestuous within the sisterhood.”

“Oh ew, did you have to put it like that? But I don’t know, there may have been something with Jessica and Ashley and Stacie and Cynthia Rose at some point, but I really didn’t pay attention.”

“Not you and the other small one, Chloe?”

“Yeah, no, not with her. Though before you came along she was the most likely candidate to actually get my bisexual ass out of the closet, but it didn’t happen. Jesse sort of popped up before anything big could happen and so we were just friends.”

“Color me surprised.”

“Yes, well the closet was a safe place, ok? It was cozy.” Beca stuck her tongue out and then quickly pulled it back in. She was totally not a five year old.

“And would you rather be there now, mouse?”

“No, I know where I’d rather be and it’s not in the closet, it’s in bed beside you.”

Mina laughed. “That is certainly not in the closet.”

“Exactly.”

“Mina, bist du wach?” someone called from off screen. Beca thought it probably was Mina’s mom.

“Ja, Mama, ich bin wach,” Mina called back.

“ Gut, Frühstück wird bald fertig sein, mein Schätzchen.”

Beca snickered. “Schätzchen, huh? So the invincible Kommissar has another cutesy nickname.”

“Mothers are allowed to have nicknames for their children. I’m sure your father does.” Mina arched an eyebrow.

Beca shrugged. “He’s a guy, the most creative he gets with nicknames are honey and sweetie, dude. Little treasure. There’s nothing little about you, though the treasure part I might agree with. Still, I think engel fits you better.”

Mina shook her head and smiled. “Yes, well, thank you, but I believe that was my call for food, so I will talk to you later, liebling. Get some sleep. Do you want me to call you later and wake you up?”

“Yeah, that’d be cool.”

“All right then. I will. Goodnight, meine kleine maus.”

“Night, engel.”

Beca hit the end button and sighed. She’d have a better night if Mina was sleeping beside her, but right now she was really tired so it wouldn’t matter so much. She set her computer aside and almost immediately fell asleep to dreams about a new apartment and Mina in it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> German Translations:
> 
> Mina, bist du wach?- Mina, are you awake?
> 
> Ja, Mama, ich bin wach.- Yes, Mom, I'm awake.
> 
> Gut, Frühstück wird bald fertig sein, mein Schätzchen. -Good, breakfast will be ready soon my little treasure.
> 
> I know some of you wanted me to put the translations beside the words in chapter. I don't like that ascetically, it bothers me, and for chapters that only have a couple things it doesn't seem as necessary. But if there's a chapter again that's got a lot of German dialogue I'll probably do that. Until then it'll be down here. Thanks to xxraug-mossxx for the translations as always.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I couldn't resist writing skype sex. If that isn't your thing skip after the *** and come back next time. Enjoy guys.

Beca groaned loudly and set down a metric fuck ton of grocery bags on the floor of her new apartment. She had managed to make it another week on takeout, mostly because she didn’t have time to shop for food between trips to other stores to grab the most basic stuff that she couldn’t live without while she and Mina were deciding on everything else. It seemed like every day this week there was another thing that she was reaching for and realizing she didn’t actually have that thing on hand and would have to go get it. Which of course meant that she had to call Mina and have her in on the decision making process if it was something they were going to use jointly, which it usually was since they were crucial things, like towels, and pillows, and spoons and a million other tiny things she rarely thought about using on a daily basis. Usually that one necessary thing led to a shopping spree of sorts where Beca ended up with a cart full of other things too, but at least now she had a mostly functioning apartment save for a few things, but there were pots and pans and now food to cook.

“So what should I make first in the apartment?” She typed out over a picture of all the grocery bags on the floor. It was the middle of the night in Germany and she wasn’t about to get a message back anytime soon, but tomorrow for breakfast she would have a message.

For now she lifted herself up on top of the counter and stared at the bags for a few long minutes, yawning and just looking at all the effort it was going to take to get the groceries put away. She hadn’t really even bought anything exciting, mostly just staples that every kitchen needed and a tub of chocolate ice cream to reward herself for all the stuff she’d been fucking moving in the last week. Why did no one tell her that moving was actually like having a second job?

She hopped off the counter and started to put stuff away. At least once she was settled down here then she wouldn’t be going anywhere for a long while. Mina had six years or so until she got her Ph.D. and they had no reason to move before that was over. Beca let visions of the next six years play out in her mind as she organized the cabinets in what she thought was a sensical order.

Beca could see Mina studying on the couch, books and papers spread out all over every surface. She could see shared meals at the dining room table, late night cuddle sessions, popcorn fights during movies they were supposed to be watching, sex on probably every single surface there was in the apartment, and Jesus she hoped the walls were thick. There were late nights and early mornings, lazy Sunday afternoons, and everything in-between. There was a life here for them.

She blinked as her hand hit the bottom of the last bag. Since when had she become so damn mushy? She looked around at the now clean kitchen and frowned. And when exactly did she finish everything so quickly? Did she even remember where everything was? She opened a few cabinets and everything was where she would have put it had she actually been inhabiting her brain.

She sighed and leaned against the counter once more. Who was she kidding she could pinpoint the exact moment she’d become this damn mushy. She was sitting in a café in the middle of Copenhagen having lunch with the most beautiful woman in the world and everything had changed. Or maybe it had been changing before that, maybe that was just the moment that cemented it. Maybe the kiss on the dancefloor had started it. But without fail it was those first hours after worlds.

Her stomach growled and snapped her out of it. She needed to eat and a nap if she wanted to actually talk to Mina for any length of time later. She was still dragging from their late night conversation last Saturday and the fact that she hadn’t been able to stop since then. She pulled open the fridge, took out the milk, pulled down one of her new bowls and grabbed out one of the new boxes of cereal. This was as dinner as dinner was going to get.

She took the cereal to the living room and flopped down on the couch turning on the TV, glad that the cable had been hooked up the day before. Not having to use Skype on her phone was a fucking blessing now that she had internet. TV was just really a perk on top of that. She flipped channels for a few minutes before she settled on some rerun of an early NCIS episode where Kate was still alive. Good enough.

She set the cereal bowl aside, promising herself she would get up and wash it in a minute, she fell asleep only a few minutes later, head resting on the arm of the couch and body splayed out at awkward angles.

***

She woke up to the squawking of her computer. She looked around confused. What the hell was making that noise? And why was it so dark? Then she saw her computer open on the coffee table, with Skype up and ringing. Right, that’s what was making that noise. Ok.

She blinked a few times before she actually realized that she had to do something about the noise. Beca reached out and hit the answer button without actually looking at who was calling. Right now she wasn’t actually fit for conversation so she would probably just claim she was busy and talk to them later or something.

Except then Mina was on her screen sitting in nothing but a bra and a smirk and Beca was completely awake. The blinking this time, was for a completely different reason. Holy hell, she was just as hot as she remembered, even across the crappy, grainy Skype connection. Really, someone should make virtual reality a thing right that second because she needed it like burning.

“Uh hi?” Beca waved awkwardly.

“Hello, little mouse.” Mina’s smirk intensified. “Was my little mouse tired?”

Beca sat up straighter and grabbed the computer. “Uh, no why would you say that?”

“Because your hair is a mess, you have creases in your cheeks from the fabric of the couch, and there’s a bit of drool on the corner of your mouth, but other than that no reason at all.”

Beca quickly wiped away the drool. Smooth, she was so smooth it should hurt. Her fucking girlfriend shows up on Skype in nothing but a bra and she was fucking drooling. Ugh, how was so even alive. Surely awkwardness like this should kill her, right?

“Yeah, ok, so I took an unexpected nap.” She frowned. “But I mean, this week has been pretty long so I guess it was sort of needed. I went grocery shopping so there’s now actually food in the apartment that I can cook. It’s actually shaping up to be sort of livable here now.”

“That’s wonderful, liebling. I’m glad our home is actually becoming something.” Her smirked morphed into something soft for all of a few seconds before it was back right into something sort of predatory. “But I hope your nap was restful because you’ll need it.”

Beca’s mouth went dry at Mina’s tone. Holy shit. Was what she thought was about to happen really about to happen? Really? Because that tone said yes, and the fact that Mina was in a bra only said yes, but was she really that lucky?

“It’s it like the middle of the morning there?” Beca asked. She growled at herself. Right, that was totally not the thing to ask right now, damn it. The one time she actually slowed down for Jesus was the only time she didn’t want to slow down at all.

“Ja, it is, but Mama and Papa are at the market and Claudia is at practice for football and I have the house alone to myself for a few hours.” Mina’s arms disappeared behind her. “And I thought of a particularly good use for those few hours, seeing as I can be as loud as I want.” Mina’s bra loosened and then she tugged it the rest of the way off. “You think this a good idea too, ja?”

Beca was staring at Mina’s boobs, now free of any confines. “Ja, Ich denke das ist eine gute Idee.” 

Mina laughed, low and deep. “Ah, little mouse, it is so cute when you speak German when your flustered. You forgot the words in English didn’t you?”

“I’m not exactly sure what my name is anymore. All I’m sure is that you’re gorgeous and six thousand miles away and that’s a crime because those boobs deserved to be worshipped along with the rest of you.” Ok, right that was the right kind of babbling now. No more asking about the location of parents, she could deal with this.

“Oh, I think I can handle touching them, maus.” To make her point Mina cupped herself in her hands and sighed out a long breath. “The question is, can you handle watching me.”

“I can handle anything you want me to.”

“Mmm, good, little mouse. I miss your touch. I want you here, but I think this will be a good enough substitute for now. Tell me what you want to do to me.”

She’d never really had phone sex before. Or Skype sex as the case was. She hoped to god she was a quick study because she’d need it.

“I really, really want to kiss you, more than anything. I want to taste you. Sometimes you taste like cherries when I kiss you, and it’s really nice. There’s always something sweet about your mouth and it’s addicting.”

Beca watched with wide eyes as Mina continued to cup herself for a few more moments before her fingers made their way to her nipples and started to tweak them, rolling them gently at points and pulling softly at others. Mina’s breathing was getting faster, now loud enough to heard over the Skype connection. Jesus, how was she supposed to survive this again?

“And I want to mark you again. I was really sad when the bruises went away. I want the whole world to know your mine. Your neck is beautiful, but it’s even better when it’s covered in black and blue. Your skin tastes like cinnamon too. It wasn’t really surprising since you smell like cinnamon, but it’s still nice.”

“And what else do you want to do to me, mouse?” Mina looked at her through half lidded eyes, pupils already blown wide and the her eyes a deeper shade of blue.

“God, everything. But then I think I’d lick down your body and taste every part of you, just so maybe I could get enough, but I think it won’t ever be enough.”

“Maus, if you don’t get to the point soon I think I might combust.”

A smirk crawled onto Beca’s face. There was only one way that Mina could be ready this god damn fast. “You’ve been thinking about this all morning haven’t you? You waited for me to call, but then you got too impatient and called for yourself, didn’t you?”

Mina groaned. “Ja, I did, happy with that information, kleine maus?”

“So right now you’re insanely wet, aren’t you? Like you aren’t sure if those panties your wearing will ever be wearable again, wet?” And now the tables were turned and Beca was enjoying this even more.

“Yes,” Mina hissed out. “It has been almost a month since we were last together and I haven’t taken care of myself that entire time because it wasn’t the same without you there and now I am very, very desperate for it. So Herrgott nochmal dann tu es doch endlich!” 

“Aw, I think it’s so cute when you speak German when you’re flustered. You forgot the words in English didn’t you?” Beca mocked with a smile. She would give Mina what she needed, but not before she had just a little fun first.

Mina growled. “I have eight languages at my disposal and how many exactly do you have? Is it a wonder I revert to my native language when hot and bothered? I do not have the brain power to translate everything I want to say. Beca,” Mina’s voice broke into a whine at the end.

“Ok, ok.” Beca licked her lips. “And when you were squirming under me and begging, like you are now, only then would I take you. God, I want to taste you there too. It was so good the last time. I think I’d take my time just drawling nonsensical patterns on your clit because I could. And it would almost be enough for you, but not quite. I would make you sit there at the edge for so long. You might think you were going crazy.”

One of Mina’s hands disappeared from view. Beca swallowed again, knowing just where that hand was going and wanting to see what it was up to. She felt a little bit like a pervert, but then again she was describing in detail what she wanted to do sexually to the woman on screen, so it wasn’t exactly outside the realm of acceptable, was it.

“God, engel, whatever you are doing with that hand, can you set up the computer so I can see too? Please?”

Mina whimpered. “That would require more hands than I have right now and I do not want to stop.”

“Pretty please?” Beca crossed her thighs and groaned at the copious wetness between them. Jesus, she felt like she could get off with just a touch at this point.

“Gott, liebling, du bringst mich noch um,” Mina mumbled under her breath. 

The screen jostled a bit as Mina sat forward, moving the laptop and angled the screen down just a bit. When Mina sat back Beca could see her propped up on pillows, legs splayed out and her hands resting just above the waistband of her underwear. Black lacy underwear. Beca really didn’t expect anything different.

Mina lifted her hips and in a second the underwear was flying to parts unknown and she was laying bare before the camera. Beca’s heart sped up and she felt a new gush of wetness between her legs. Maybe her underwear were going to join the ‘not sure if they were ever going to be useable again’ category. It was worth it, if that was true.

“Is little mouse happy?”

“God you have no idea.”

“Good, now you were saying?” Mina cocked an eyebrow, looking haughty and in charge with her cheeks flushed and eye slightly glazed over.

“Mmm, well I think I was saying something about keeping you right at the edge. And it would be such delicious torture for you and just delicious for me because you’re so fucking delectable.”

Beca had to stop for a second as Mina’s hand slipped between her thighs and started to rub gently along her slit. She really wanted to be those damn hands. Her breath stuttered for a second before she managed to right herself again.

“But I don’t think I could deny you forever because you’re literally an angel. So then I’d slide one finger inside you and you’d be so hot and wet for me that I’d probably groan into you and you’d shiver at the feeling. And I’d thrust a few times, gently, so gentle you might forget that I’m there. And you’d still be on the edge and wanting, waiting for me to let you come.”

Mina moaned loudly as she finally slipped a finger inside herself. Beca lost her breath again as her whole body throbbed. Holy shit she was so turned on she felt like she was the one about to self-combust now. Her hands found the button on her pants easily and in a second it was undone and her hand was slipping inside her pants.

“Mi-na,” she breathed out as her fingers caressed her clit. “Jesus, you’re so hot. Then I’d slip another finger into you and stretch you more and you’d feel it now. And slowly I’d speed up my thrusts. And you could feel the orgasm building inside of you finally, no longer just on the edge, but actually about to tip over. And then I’d curl my fingers inside you in just the way you’d like and I’d pull back and I’d tell you to come and you would, so hard and so good that you’d forget what your name was and I’d probably forget mine too because you’d just be so damn beautiful to watch.”

Mina made a little mewling noise before her body went stiff and she actually came in real life. Beca groaned again, watching her girlfriend spasm on her bed. She pressed her fingers harder against herself, making tighter circles, heat building within her. Just as Mina finally collapsed on the bed again, limp, Beca was arching into her own hand, calling Mina’s name.

She blinked her eyes open again a few minutes later with a big huff of air. Mina was still laid out on her bed, head thrown back in the pillows, but her breathing had calmed. Beca wanted more than anything to just curl up beside her and take another nice nap.

“Are you still alive?” Beca asked instead.

“Mmm, I’m not sure, liebling. I can’t quite feel my toes just yet, but I think other than that I am alive.”

“Good?”

“Not as good as when we were together, but after that long…spectacular.”

“Yeah, I’ll agree.”

Mina’s head shot up. “Naughty mouse, did you touch yourself as well?” She was almost pouting.

“I might have, why? You’re just too hot to resist.”

“I wanted to watch you as well.” The pouting intensified and Beca wanted more than anything to fix whatever was wrong.

“Well, I am a woman. Give me a couple of minutes and I can totally go again.” Her eyes blatantly traced over Mina’s form. “With you in front of me like that I probably won’t even need a couple minutes.”

“See something you like, then?” Mina cocked an eyebrow.

“I see a lot of things I like.”

Mina licked her lips and sat forward just a bit. “Oh, little mouse, why don’t I tell you what I would do if I was there? Turnabout is fair play after all.”

Oh no, if Mina did that she was really, really going to die. Her voice was sexy enough without actually saying anything overtly sexual. If Mina actually talked dirty to her. Her body temperature rose as she remembered Mina talking to her that night in Copenhagen. Yup, dead, she was dead.

“First, mouse, I’d take off your shirt. It would be getting in the way of what I wanted. You say my skin is soft, but yours is like a cloud and I want to be able to touch as much of you as possible.”

Beca instantly slid her shirt off and tossed it somewhere in the living room. She was going to have a hell of a time finding that later.

“Mmm, yes, that’s a start. And then I’d run my hands over your skin. You’d be covered in goosebumps by the end. You’re so very responsive, mouse.”

Beca shivered as the goosebumps appeared on her skin without any touch at all. Her hands started to wander around her body, following Mina’s instruction. She shivered harder as arcs of electricity crossed her skin at her own touch. If she shut her eyes, it wouldn’t be so hard to imagine that Mina was the one touching her, and so she did.

Behind closed eyelids she felt Mina watching her through the screen, gaze just as intense as if she was actually in the room. Beca wondered how the hell she could do that, but the answer probably was in the fact that she was Mina, and nothing more.

“But after a few minutes of just touching you, I would want more. I would wrap my arms around you and then unhook your bra. It would be gone in a matter of seconds and I would have you completely topless before me.”

Beca’s arms slid behind her back and her bra was off a second later, dropped on the floor by the couch. She heard Mina’s breath hitch as she came fully into view.

“Scheiße, kleine maus, du bist schön.” 

“Danke,” Beca breathed out, cracking her eyes open to see Mina’s rapt face. She smiled for just a second before Mina went on.

“And the first thing I’d do when I had you topless would be to take one of those beautiful breasts of yours and suck it into my mouth. I’d tease you for a very long while with light touches of tongue but nothing substantial and your hands would end up in my hair pulling, begging me to do something, anything, more.”

Beca’s fingers trailed around her boobs with light touches, circling her nipples lightly, but never with the pressure she wanted. She felt a whimper work its way out of her throat. She shifted slightly and another whimper rent the quiet air. She was more than ready again. Jesus, she had just come, how was she this close again already?

“And I would finally give into you and start sucking hard on you, using just that hint of teeth that you like.”

Beca sighed in relief as her fingers started to roll and pinch her nipples hard. She arched her chest towards her hands and moaned quietly. If Mina wasn’t the one giving the instructions right now she would just get right to the point because she was more than ready, but that seemed like cheating right now. She wanted to see this until the end.

“But then your tugs on my hair would grow harder. And I would know exactly what you want and so my hands would trail down your body to the fastening on your pants and I’d have you out of those sinfully tight skinny jeans and your underwear before you could blink again.”

Beca stood up and shucked her pants as fast as she could without actually falling on her damn face, and even then she stumbled a bit, trying to get them off her ankles. She positioned herself back in front of the camera again, quickly adjusting it so Mina got as fully a body shot as possible while she was on the couch.

Mina sighed. “Mein Gott, ich liebe dich.”

“I love you too, but Mina please.”

Mina laughed, the sound doing things to Beca even six thousand miles away. “Then I would think about eating you out, but that wouldn’t be enough. I want to take you, make you mine, hard and fast. And so I slip my fingers between your legs and circle your clit just a few times before I’m entering you with two fingers, gently at first, but the gentleness doesn’t last.”

Beca groaned as she followed the instructions to the letter, hips jumping as her fingers touched her clit, walls ceasing on her fingers as she pushed inside herself. She was so wet, she really hoped she wouldn’t leave a spot on the couch. That would be damn embarrassing, but worth it.

“And then I put my thigh behind my hand and speed up my thrusts and I’m fucking you so hard the bed is moving under us. You’re moaning loud enough that the neighbors probably hear us, but that’s ok, we’ll deal with them later, after you’ve come so hard you forget your own name.”

Beca’s chest was heaving. She was sure she wasn’t getting enough oxygen. She didn’t care.

“Fuck, Mina, that’s, oh my god, um, that’s, das fühlt sich gut an.” 

“Do you want to feel even better, liebling?”

“Yes, ja, whatever language you want the answer in. I don’t care.”

“Well then, if I was there I’d shift my thumb forward so it was rubbing against your clit at every stroke. And I’d bend down and start sucking at your throat, marking you, because you’re mine and you need to know it in every way right now. Then, little mouse, I’d tell you to come, and you would.”

“Oh, fuck, Mina!” Beca cried out as her orgasm tore through her, taking everything with it and leaving only bright white pleasure.

She took a stuttering breath and sat up who knew how long later. Mina was still on the screen, smiling smugly.

“Are you alive, mouse?”

Beca rolled her eyes tiredly. “I can’t feel my toes yet, but I think I’m alive other than that.”

“Good, good.”

Beca slumped back down on the couch. All her limbs felt like jelly. She’d never gotten like this just by touching herself. It had to be some of Mina’s witchcraft. Beca snorted. She could actually see Mina as a witch, but not like a stupid Halloween cliché witch, more like a scary powerful modern one.

“Thank you for that, liebling,” Mina said after a few minutes of silence. “I really needed that. I miss you and being around you more than I can put to words in any language I know.” She looked away from the screen for a second, cheek pink again.

“Oh trust me, no problem. Any time you need to do that again, I’m totally game.” She reached out towards the computer before she realized what she was doing. She sighed and dropped her hand. “And I miss you too. A whole lot. How many days until I get to see you again?”

“Sixty-two days.”

Beca frowned. “Too long, you sure about that whole teleportation thing?”

Mina just looked at her, unamused, not even justifying that with an answer.

“Well, you can’t say I didn’t try one day when someone wins a Nobel prize for teleportation and it isn’t you.”

“Yes, well, you may say that, little mouse, but I think I will be more impressed with the fact that it’s possible and not the fact that I supposedly lost out.” She rolled her eyes.

Beca yawned. She really needed to get off the couch and go to bed. She levered herself up before she couldn’t possibly be bothered and grabbed her computer. She stumbled back into the bedroom and slumped down on the bed, positioning her computer on the other pillow.

“Someone I know exhausted me beyond all reason again. Stay on the line until I fall asleep?” She yawned again.

“Of course. You want to talk or you just want me here?”

“Talk, what did you do yesterday.”

Mina smiled and started in on a description of DSM’s practice the day before. Beca tried to pay attention to what was being said, but she found herself falling asleep almost instantly. Her last thought was that Mina should record tapes for insomniacs because her voice was so soothing.

“Goodnight, liebling.” Beca heard right before she went under fully with a smile on her face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> German Translations:
> 
> Ja, Ich denke das ist eine gute Idee.- yes, I think that is a good idea.  
> So Herrgott nochmal dann tu es doch endlich!-So for God’s sake just do it already.  
> Gott, liebling, du bringst mich noch um-God, darling, you’re going to kill me.  
> Scheiße, kleine maus, du bist schön.-Shit, little mouse, you are beautiful.  
> das fühlt sich gut an.-that feels good


	4. Chapter 4

Beca rushed into work two weeks later, coffee in a death grip, phone in the other hand. She had slept through Mina’s calls for a full twenty minutes and she was almost late. She nodded at the security guard and rushed to the elevator stabbing the button and tapping her feet. She had, Beca looked at her phone, a minute to be in the production meeting ten floors above her. She prayed that the elevator would get there like right then.

This was what she could for staying up late the night before talking to Mina, but the conversation had been too great to cut it short and the more days that went by the more that Beca missed Mina and the more that she just wanted to spend every waking moment talking to her. She was going to have to find some way of regulating her needs because if this kept up she was going to give herself a heart attack from close calls. She liked her job. She’d really like to also keep that job too. And being late every whipstitch was not going to help her keep said job.

The elevator doors opened and she ran in and jabbed her floor button and then pushed the door close button fifteen different times because that totally made it close faster, right? And then she was finally on her way up and she breathed a sigh of relief. If she was lucky she would get to the floor and only be a minute, two tops late to the meeting and if luck was on her side the meeting wouldn’t have even begun yet. She fired off a quick text to Mina to let her know that she was actually at work now and now dead of a stroke on the side of the road.

She managed to slip into her meeting just in time. Beca slid into her seat and took a deep breath. She probably looked like absolute shit, but she was here and that’s what really matter. Her phone vibrated in her pocket to let her know that Mina had texted her back. She would message back after the meeting and thank Mina six ways from Sunday for getting her up even though she was a complete idiot who couldn’t get up for the life of her by herself. Jesus, she needed to buy one of those industrial strength alarms that moved around.

“Alright, on the agenda today is a guy named Nikolai Petrov. He’s up and coming in the techno scene, fast too. He only moved to the States last year and we heard buzz about him almost as soon as he hit the shores,” Beca’s boss went on.

Beca started to relax more in her chair. Techno she could totally do. That was why she was here, really. She might actually have something to offer at this meeting. She did a little happy dance inside her mind.

“His lyrics need work, at least in English. I’ve heard his Russian mixes and they’re good, but if he’s going to have a market here he needs to break the language barrier. I think he should be willing, but we’ll see. He’s calling in, in ten minutes to confirm the signing, though I doubt he’ll say no. What sane artist would?” The room laughed with her boss and Beca at least made a show of smiling.

Beca bit her lip a second later. This was the first artist they were signing that was really up her alley. She could write something for him, some lyrics, thank god techno wasn’t really heavy with the lyrics and she could probably throw something together in a night or two if she worked hard and had enough inspiration. Then again with Mina as her girlfriend she had more than enough inspiration for a lifetime. If she wrote something and her boss liked it that was the first step on her way to actually getting recognition, the first step on the road to be executive producer and sleeping on a bed of Grammys. Then again that sounded uncomfortable, maybe she’d just put them in a cabinet. Whatever, the point was this was her chance.

The phone rang a few minutes later while her boss went over possible strategies for the artist to break him out in the market. Her boss hit the answer button on the speaker set.

“Hello, this is Mack Lighton.”

“Uh, hello, this is Nikolai. Manager said I call now?”

“Yes, yes, hello Nikolai, have you considered our offer.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a long moment. “I, uh, English is not good. My manager, he…quit? He was my English.”

Her boss frowned. “That’s unfortunate. We need to sign you for sure today in order to really get the ball rolling for an album in time for the big season.” He ran his hand over his hair. “Anyone speak Russian?”

No one in the room moved. Beca swallowed. She didn’t speak Russian…but Mina did. She looked around the room quickly, praying that someone would come forward with another solution. But everyone was just staring at their boss with wide eyes.

Beca closed her eyes and raised her hand. This wasn’t exactly how she wanted to get noticed, but it was going to have to do. “Um, I don’t speak Russian, but, uh…” she trailed off. It was the music industry. Half the people here were probably gay or something, at least open minded. It wasn’t like she worked for a Gospel label. “My girlfriend does. I could call her and she could act as a go between while we find another manager for Mr. Petrov.”

Her boss stared at Beca for the longest second of her life. “Good enough, call her,” he finally said, nodding.

Beca breathed out a sigh of relief and pulled out the phone from her pocket and hit the speed dial for Mina. She prayed Mina picked up because now that she was committed she would look really stupid if this didn’t work out. God why exactly had she done this again? They could have found someone today that wasn’t Mina, she was sure. The music industry was a big place.

“Mouse?” Mina said, picking up the phone. “Aren’t you at work? What is wrong? Why are you calling me? Are you hurt?”

“No, no, everything is fine. Or well, everything will be if you’ll do me a favor,” she quickly said. “You’re the only one I know who speaks Russian and we’re signing a guy today, but his manager just quit and he’s not fluent. Can you translate for us so this actually can happen today?”

Mina breathed out a sigh of relief. “I am glad you aren’t harmed in any way. But yes, I can translate for you. Put me on speaker phone.”

Beca hit the speaker phone button and slid her phone closer to the speaker where Nikolai was waiting on the other end. Immediately Mina started speaking in rapid fire Russian and Beca was never more glad to have multilingual girlfriend than in that moment.

Mina finally switched back to English. “He says that he wants to sign with you, so long as he can keep writing his own music and not rely solely on your writers.”

Her boss thought it over for a minute. It was really a common request. There wasn’t much to think over except for the fact that Nikolai wasn’t fluent in English yet so most of his own music would probably be in Russian.

“Ok, but tell him that a certain number of his songs have to be in English or there’s no deal. He can write the music, but the lyrics will come from us for those until he can write on his own. And of course we’ll get to mix and change things as per usual.”

Mina went into translating again and the exchanges happened back and forth for the better part of an hour while everything was worked out with the artist. Beca was on the edge of her seat for the whole time, but eventually her boss nodded and stepped back from the table.

“Well then, it’s done. Welcome to the label, Nikolai.”

“Thank you. I am…very happy,” Nikolai said without needing translation.

“We’ll send over a new manager for you who knows Russian and we’ll set up dates for everything soon.” Her boss waited for Mina to translate that before saying goodbye and hanging up.

The people at the table slid Beca’s phone back to her and she picked it up. Before she could put it to her face and tell Mina goodbye her boss was by her side.

“I think the words good job are a bit much since you didn’t really do anything. However, I think nice save does apply here.” He clapped her on the shoulder. “Techno is one of the areas you wanted to go into, yeah? You said so in your interview.”

Beca nodded her head, gripping onto her phone so hard she was surprised it didn’t break. “Yeah, techno and remixes are what I’m really good at, but I can do anything.”

“I bet you can, but why don’t you come up with something for Nikolai and I’ll listen to it, see if we can use it.”

Beca’s eyes widened. Well, looked like getting noticed for Mina’s skills was actually going to get her noticed in the way she wanted. Holy shit. How the hell was this actually happening? Shit like this didn’t happen to her.

“Oh my god, of course, I’ll have something for you as soon as possible.” Beca bit her tongue to keep from saying anymore. She didn’t want to look like a babbling idiot in front of anyone other than Mina.

“Good, good.” Her boss turned to the rest of them. “The rest of you start coming up with ideas and get back to whatever it is that you were doing before this.” He strode from the room a second later.

Everyone else started to get up and exit the room. Beca breathed out a sigh of relief and finally brought the phone up to her face. “Oh my god thank you for just saving my ass,” Beca said as she walked back to her desk.

“It was no problem, mouse. Nikolai was actually a very interesting man. You should have a good time working with him.”

“That’s awesome, but still. If I was in Germany right now I would totally just like leave and go hug you and make you lunch or dinner or whatever and buy you flowers because you’re literally perfect. Seriously. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You can do all of those things when I get there. I believe I will still appreciate them then.”

“Ok, but that’s like forty-eight days away still. I want to hug you and tell you you’re perfect to your face now.”

“Soon, mein kleine maus, soon. It is almost halfway over, ja?”

Beca huffed out a breath and flopped down in her desk chair. She shuffled around some demos with a little more force than usual and plopped her head down, phone still glued to her ear.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Good, now go write a song. This sounds like a wonderful opportunity for you and I want you to try your hardest. I know you will, but there’s just a little more motivation for you, little mouse. Call me later when you inevitably get too frustrated to function and want to throw your laptop at the wall.”

Beca opened her mouth to say that wouldn’t happen, but then again, she knew it would so she shut her mouth and huffed again. “Fine, I will. Sleep well tonight, engel. I love you.”

“Ich liebe dich auch, maus. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Beca hung up her phone and immediately went to open the sound studio on her computer. She dug out her Beats and plugged them in. She’d already listened to her demo quota for the week, turned in her notes, and she had permission from her boss to be working on this arrangement. She was going to work her ass off today and get somewhere. Already she could hear a few strains of music flowing through her mind, warm with heavy bass and a running line fast enough that dancing to it would be natural. It had Mina written all over it. It sounded like she imagined new love would, fast and strong and almost overbearing but you didn’t want to stop. She set to work recording everything with a smile on her face.


	5. Chapter 5

It was midnight by the time she ran out of steam. She had the music down pat. It sounded great, she thought, but the words just wouldn’t come. Every time she tried to think of something her brain scrambled like it normally did around Mina. She could come up with babbling lines of praise, but that wouldn’t exactly work in a song like this. She only really needed a few catchy lines that she could thread throughout the music, maybe a few more for the beginning and end, but she had nothing useful.

She groaned and scrabbled around for her phone, buried under sheets of crumpled paper and Beca’s broken dreams. How the hell had Legacy made this look so damn easy? If she couldn’t come up with something in the next day she would have to call the other girl and get some advice or something. She really needed this to work out for her.

Beca finally had her phone in her hand a minute later and a second after that it was ringing, dialing Mina. It took Mina a few rings to answer and Beca wondered if she called too early and if Mina was actually still asleep. She looked down at the clock. It was nine in the morning in Germany. Mina was usually awake by this time.

“Mmm, mouse, is it time for your freak out?” Mina asked in a sleep rough voice.

“Did I wake you up?” Beca bit her lip. If Mina was still sleepy, she should sleep, not talk to her. She needed to get the proper amount of rest.

“You did, but it is alright.”

“Are you sure? If you’re still tired I can have my freak out later.” It would probably be more intense by that point, but it wouldn’t matter. “Are you sick or something? Normally you don’t sleep this long.”

“Normally, no, but last night I didn’t get much sleep.” She heard Mina yawn. “Once a month or so my body finds that it’s a good idea to stay up for twenty-four hours or more. I don’t know why, perhaps hormones, but outside of that one night a month I have a perfectly normal sleeping schedule. And if I want to keep that normal schedule I should be up now anyway.”

“How long ago did you fall asleep?” Beca wanted to reach through the phone and cuddle with Mina until she fell asleep again, but sadly that wasn’t really an option.

“I fell asleep somewhere around six I think. Three hours will be enough to get me through the day, though I will be falling asleep early to make up the difference, I believe. I might have to miss our normal morning conversation. I will let you know how I’m feeling.”

“You’re completely sure.”

“Yes, liebling, you may start your freak out over your song. I’m awake and will listen.”

Beca heard the sheets rustling as Mina sat up and scooted around her bed. She sighed. Well, as long as Mina was sure. She really did need input, inspiration, or maybe less inspiration. She had words, so many words, she just needed to channel them, refine them, pare them down to the best and brightest, but she couldn’t quite do that when all of the words meant so much to her.

“I’ve gotten down the basic music and everything, but I’m stuck as fuck on the words. I keep babbling in the lyrics and it’s a total fucking mess and our apartment looks like paper world war six hit it and then maybe a tornado.” She shrieked. “Sorry about that, but it’s just—ugh.” She thunked her head against arm of the couch.

“Let me hear the music you have, mouse. I need to know the tone before I can help you with words, ja?”

“Ja, macht Sinn.” (yes, makes sense)

“Oh, that’s a new phrase, little mouse.” Beca could hear the smile in Mina’s voice.

“I learned it in high school German. Just because you’ve taught me a good bit and refreshed a lot more of what I knew before in the last few weeks doesn’t mean I didn’t know something that simple before. And I want to stick my tongue out at you but we’re on a phone call and that doesn’t work and it sucks. And maybe I’ve gotten one of those apps for my phone that helps me practice, you know, so I sound smarter in front of your perfect ass.”

Mina laughed. “I’m glad you are taking learning seriously. “

“Well, yeah.” Beca felt her cheeks turning red. “It’s a part of you, and I want to learn everything I can to be closer to you.”

Words were starting to organize in her head more as she kept talking to Mina. She didn’t have anything concrete yet, but it felt like she might have a real useable idea soon. She left her thoughts alone to stew for a bit before actually trying to make them with anything. Amazing how Mina was such a source of inspiration. Then again not really considering she was Mina, but she couldn’t image being this way about anyone else in the world. She had dated Jesse for three years and she knew she had loved him romantically at one point, and she still loved him as a friend, but he would have never inspired this even at the height of their relationship.

“Little mouse…” Mina trailed off for a few moments. “I think that might be one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me. Learning a new language is a big undertaking, and to know you are doing it at least in part for me is…wonderful.”

“Yeah, well, you’re wonderful, so. And if I knew any other language other than English I know you would totally learn it as fast as you could. Which would bring your language count up to nine which would be totally ridiculous and yet still so very, very hot.”

Mina chuckled. “Yes well, I would indeed learn another language for you. With my free time this summer I’m actually working on learning more Chinese. I think it will be a very useful language going forward. But that is not the point of this conversation. You were going to play me your song.”

“Oh yeah, right sorry.” Beca double clicked on the file and set the phone down right by her computer speakers and sat back. As the music played she could see the words interweaving now. There weren’t a great many, just those couple lines she thought she would need, but they fit.

She grabbed for a pad of paper and scribbled down her thoughts immediately. Mina was going to melt over this or kill her through the phone, but at least she had a song complete with lyrics now. At least when she overlaid the track over the music anyway. But it was a song about love and it was different. Songs about love always sold, anyone with ears knew that.

When the music ended she hit the speaker phone button and continued to write. “What did that remind you of?”

If it didn’t remind anyone else of love she was sort of sunk. She would have to change a few things, probably, and then she’d end up pulling her hair out over that too, which wouldn’t be fun at all. Ugh, why did she have to love music so much again?

“It’s…warmth and love. I don’t know how you conveyed that through techno music, little mouse, but you did. You truly are skilled.”

Beca smiled. “Thanks. Oh my god, that’s awesome because that was totally what I was going for, thank Jesus.”

“And you need help with lyrics for this, yes?”

“Um, maybe not anymore. I had an idea while talking to you. Which since the song is centered around love, sort of makes sense. Actually that was the problem originally, I was doing the babbling thing I normal do around you when I compliment you. Which kind of is a no go for songs, but then talking to you sort of solidified what I wanted.” She shrugged even though Mina couldn’t see it. “My brain is weird, talking to the person who makes me babble and my brain actually decides to be concise for once.”

“What do you have down, liebling?” Mina’s voice was warm and Beca could actually imagine the woman smiling that little smile she gave Beca when she was completely enthralled.

Beca felt warmed through at the same time as absolutely terrified. What if Mina hated what she’d written? God there wouldn’t be a hole big enough for her to crawl into.

“Um, ok. Uh, right.” She took a deep breath.

“I’m sure whatever you have down is wonderful, little mouse.”

“I hope so. Anyway, here goes.

_“Warm sky blue smiles_

_She takes me in, makes me everything I am_

_Sunset red lips, crinkled eyes_

_This love was a surprise_

_But now that I’m here I’ll never go back_

_Never go back, never ever go back_

_Because once you’ve had a taste_

_Who could ever go back?_

_Back to ash grey skies_

_And being nothing anymore_

_A life without sunsets and sparkling eyes_

_Without surprise love_

_But now that you’re here I’ll never have to go back_

_Never go back, never ever go back_

_Who could ever go back?”_

 

Beca took a deep breath and shook herself a bit before speaking again. “But yeah, that’s the main text and then there’s going to be ‘never go back’ repeated a lot but that’s the gist of it. What do you think?”

“I think, liebling, if I was there, I would be hugging you and spinning you around and then kissing the life out of you. It’s beautiful.” She cleared her throat a few times, but Mina still sounded choked up when she spoke a second later. “I take it back, that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Liebling, thank you. I’m so lucky to be in love with you.”

“I think it’s the opposite way around, but I think we should probably agree to disagree on that or we’re going to turn into one of those disgusting couples that always plays the ‘I love you more’ game, and as much as I love you, I don’t think either of us are those type of people.” Beca felt so relieved she couldn’t even put it into words. Mina liked the song. Thank Jesus, Joseph, Mary, and God above.

Mina laughed for a few long seconds and Beca bathed in the sound. She loved Mina’s laugh. She was sure she could probably create a song just about her laugh if she tried, trying to match the chords she used to the sounds, but she didn’t need to do that right now. Though if her boss liked this maybe she would actually be creating more and she should write that idea down.  She grabbed a pen and scribbled it down on one of the sheets in front of her. She’d take a picture of it later just to make sure it was actually saved.

“No, we aren’t those people, though I believe both of us have acted at least partly out of character during this relationship. I suppose, however, that’s just how love is.”

Beca bit the inside of her lip for a moment, thinking. “Yeah, maybe it is.”

She looked down at her computer. God, overlaying the vocals was going to take forever. She saved the music file again and then opened up another copy, renamed it, and saved it again. She was going to be up most of the night with this, but it was worth it. It was Friday anyway. She did have the weekend.

“I’m going to be up for a while overlaying vocals if you wanna keep talking,” Beca said opening up her vocal recording software.

“I would like that a lot. Will you be singing?”

“Yeah, for at least part of the time. I need to show what the song would be like completed, not just the lyrics and music separately, you know?”

“I understand, yes. Good. I like hearing you sing. You have a pretty voice.”

Beca snorted. “Oh no, I still dream about your World’s performance. Jesus, I think you almost melted me and you definitely terrified me, but that was something else entirely.”

“I think of your World’s performance too. It was lovely. I disagree that DSM lost, but your performance was solid.”

“Of course you disagree.” Beca rolled her eyes and shook her head with a fond smile on her face.

“What, your routine was solid, yes, but it wasn’t nearly as technical. It, however, was more emotional, and I believe that that was why judges gave you the few points you needed to edge us out. There’s nothing really wrong with that in the world of music as emotion is what drives it, but in a technical competition I’m not sure how that should pan out.”

“Sore loser,” Beca said.

“I am not a sore loser.” Mina paused a second. “Perhaps a bit, but all I do is win is a rather accurate statement of DSM. I like winning a great deal. Second does not taste nearly as good.”

“Of course not. But I’m pretty sure you’ll win other things. Probably a bunch of fancy science awards that I have no idea what they’re really for but I’ll clap really loud when you get them.”

Mina laughed. “I look forward to that.”

“Good, now hush for a minute I’m going to try to record the first pass.”

“Ok, kleine maus,” Mina said then fell completely silent.

Beca slipped an earphone in and then set to work as Mina listened. She got the track done just as the sun was rising. She blinked her sleep blurry eyes and popped in a flash drive to her computer and saved it. Mina was quiet still, having stayed on the line the whole time, listening and giving pointers. Beca was sure this was how she wanted it to be the entire rest of her career. Mina had a wonderful ear, and just singing for someone made it ten times better.

“Go get some sleep, engel. It should be late enough for you to crash there, right?” Beca wasn’t about to do the math. She would come out with two plus two equaled eight at the moment.

“Soon, but not quite. It’s only about three in the afternoon.”

“Mmm, well, thank you for your help, but I need sleep so bad I’m dying.”

“Stay on the phone with me as you fall asleep?”

And after hours of music and tweaking, that was really the best thing she’d heard all night.

“Of course.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the skipped day, but I was in NYC visiting a friend and it was amazing but that meant like 0 time to write let alone post. But now we're back on schedule.

Beca held her breath as she walked into her boss’s office on Monday. She kept repeating to herself all the good things in her life that wouldn’t change if this fell through. It was managing to keep her from running out of the room at top speed, but not much else. She swore her hands were shaking.

Right. Forty-five days until Mina was in the States. Half way through. Mina loved her. She loved Mina. They had an awesome apartment that was looking more and more like home every day and with everything the two of them bought together. She had awesome friends that still blew up her phone every day with messages even though they were halfway across the country now. She had everything going for her. This risk was nothing. The worst he could say was no.

Or the worst that could happen was he realized that Beca had absolutely no talent at all and fired her on the spot.

But she wasn’t supposed to be thinking like that right now. Holy Jesus. She smiled hesitantly at her boss as he looked up.

“Uh, hi, you’re assistant said your free for a few minutes.” She held up her flash drive. “I, um, I made a demo of a song for Nikolai like you said.”

Her boss’s eyebrows rose. “Damn, that was fast. I didn’t expect anything from you until week’s end.”

Beca felt herself blushing. “Yeah, I was inspired I guess.” She laughed awkwardly but stopped herself before it could get ridiculous. She stepped forward and handed him the drive. “The music is the first file and then the second file is with the lyrics overlaid how I thought they would work best. Obviously if we used it, it would be Nikolai singing, but.” She stopped herself again. Right, no need for ridiculous comments that were obvious.

Her boss plugged the flash drive in and opened the first file. He slipped on his headphone and closed his eyes, face the picture of concentration. Beca swallowed and leaned on one of the chairs he had in front of his desk. She was too damn nervous to actually sit right now. She counted down the seconds, knowing after running the song fifteen million times just how long it lasted. She couldn’t tell if she was getting more anxious as the end drew closer or less.

Her boss’s eyes blinked open at the end of the song. He took off his headphone and looked at her for a long second.

“You know, the stuff you came with showed potential that could be shaped if you learned the ropes and saw how everything was done, worked on project with others, that sort of thing. It was good for someone just entering into the business. But this? It’s great. It’s warm and light, and you’ve got a hell of an ear. No matter what you’re lyrics are, I could use this.”

Beca’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Really. Whatever inspired you, keep it.”

Beca looked down at her feet as she blushed. “Yeah, I sort of plan on it.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got for lyrics then.” Her boss slipped the headphone back on and listened for a second time.

Beca chewed the inside of her lip. She was thrilled beyond reason that her boss had liked her arrangement. She had worked her ass off on it. But somehow, the lyrics meant more to her, though both parts of the song were dedicated to Mina, the lyrics really put her heart out there. It was most important Mina liked them, and she did. But outside approval would mean the world too.

Her fist clenched as her boss went for his headphones again. “I should give you a weekend to compose a song more often.” He took a deep breath. “You’re definitely in the right place, kid. I’m not sure the Nikolai could use this though. It’s definitely techno, but his voice.” He shook his head. “Wouldn’t be the right tone. However, I know a few others who would snatch this song up in a second and rock it like it needs to be. That sound good to you.”

“You want to use the whole thing?”

“Yeah, there are a few changes I’d make before marketing, but it’s solid. Really solid.”

“Oh my god, yes, I am so good with that.”

“Good, good, hand off some of your demos to Tim. You’ll help me work on this with the artist I pick. I’ll call you when I’ve got things set up.”

Beca nodded, keeping it just on the sane edge of frantic. “Of course, awesome. Thank you so much.” She forced herself to turn around and walk out of the office before she squealed in a completely undignified manner.

She walked in a daze to her desk, gathered up the demos she’d been putting off listening too and a couple more to make a day’s worth or so, and walked over to Tim. She didn’t know what she told him about the demos, but he took them from her with a frown and a resigned look on his face. By the time she got back to her desk she couldn’t quite contain the internal squealing.

Beca pulled out her phone. Mina might be asleep, her schedule still a bit off from the insomnia a couple days before, but she needed to vent somehow or she was literally going to start jumping around the office like some sort of overgrown five year old. Of course Mina would say she wasn’t that overgrown, but she was an adult size, damn it. So she was a little below the national average for a woman, that was fine. It was only a couple inches and right now that was not the point and Jesus how was it fair that she could already hear Mina’s voice in her head making snarky comments. They’d only been dating for a month and a half or so.

She typed out a message in all caps. “OH MY GOD. MY BOSS IS GOING TO USE THE SONG!!!!!!!!!”

Perhaps there were a few too many exclamation points, but that was how she felt. Fuck it. She drew in a deep breath to try and reign herself in a bit more.

“He’s not going to use it for Nikolai, but he’s got a few other artists in mind that he thinks would fit the song. He’s going to let me help him produce it. Engel, I don’t even think I have the words to express how fucking over the moon I am right now.”

 She didn’t want to send another message to Mina until she was sure she was awake, but her fingers still itched. She needed to tell more people or scream at the wall or something. Except not screaming at the wall. Right that was why she was texting people so she didn’t need to be institutionalized by her coworkers on one of the biggest days of her life to date. Actually, probably the biggest besides when she got together with Mina.

She almost gagged at that. They totally had become one of those couples, hadn’t they. Whatever. Mina was worth a little bit of cheesiness.

She brought up the groupme she had going with the Bellas. She typed out everything that had happened since the last time she’d appeared in the group, which had been Friday on a short break from composing the music to her track. She’d told them about everything that happened that day in her normal terse way to which all of them had cheered her on and assured her that she would make the best damn song ever. Except for Lily, who had been encouraging in her own way by saying she could rig sales for her track to sky rocket via hacking iTunes, to which Beca had just sent back an obligatory lol.

Beca sat and waited for replies. Any replies. From the Bellas or from Mina. She should probably text her Dad too and let him know that something was already working out for her and she’d been here like a month. He was a little less critical now that she had a degree, but it was still a music degree and he still was a college professor. He was as supportive as his academia geared mind would let him be and Beca was fine with that. He wasn’t the one she wanted to celebrate with right now when she was so excited she couldn’t stand it and was about to lose her reputation as the overly chill sarcastic one.

But then the replies from the Bellas were pouring in almost all at once.

“Oh my god, Becs, that’s so awesome! I don’t care who actually sings the song, I’ll totally buy it when it comes out just because you’re the one who wrote it,” Chloe sent.

“It was totally my butt confidence that got you here, mate,” Fat Amy said and then sent another message a second later. “But seriously, congrats, I’ll wrestle a dingo to buy it if I have to.”

Beca rolled her eyes at that. She wondered if Fat Amy really thought that all of the Bellas thought that Australia was really like that. Then again she’d been wondering that since Freshman year so. Nothing new.

“Of course he liked your song!” Emily said. “You are completely awesome. Your mashups were always the best, and what you did with Flashlight was beyond awesome. Of course anything by you should be used, you’re the best.”

“My offer still stands, I can rig it so sales sky rocket,” Lilly sent.

“No thanks, Lilly. I want to see how it does on its own, but thanks for the offer again. :)” Beca sent before Lilly could actually implement any steps in that plan. “Seriously guys, thank you, all of you. I’m like almost in a puddle of goo right now. It’s a bit hard not to jump around, if you can believe it.”

“It should be, it’s exciting,” Jessica said.

Beca wasn’t really sure which one was Jessica until she looked at the picture beside the little speech bubble. How in the world Jessica and Ashley could literally be that close to be almost indistinguishable was beyond her. Her and Chloe were close and yet everyone actually knew who they were. She shrugged.

“Oh my god, do you think it would make a good Bella song?” Emily asked.

Immediately everyone in the conversation started replying blowing up Beca’s phone. Holy Jesus. Beca just set the thing aside for a few minutes while everyone got that out of their system. The generally gist of everything she was seeing was ‘yes oh my god, another Bella song written and composed by a Bella would be so great for the next national competition, if it came out in time, and if not the next then the one after.’

After the initial tide Beca finally picked up her phone again. “It might fit in with what we normally do. I’d send it to you, but a. I don’t want to be fired if anyone finds out somehow through like spy powers or some shit and b. it’ll probably change so what I’d send wouldn’t be wholly accurate anyway. But I’m sure you could find a way to mix it, Emily. You just have to remember the stuff I taught you.”

“And if you use it, of course all of us will come watch you and cheer you on,” Chloe added a second later. “It’ll be a big reunion and it’ll be great.”

“Uh, Chlo, that’s what you said about the retreat, and I don’t know about you, but being covered in mud was not my version of great,” Beca messaged back.

“Hey! It got us our sound back to beat those stupid Germans.”

“You do remember I’m dating one of those stupid Germans, right?”

“Lesbihonest,” Amy texted.

“Amy, I don’t think I could be any more honest right now.” Beca rolled her eyes.

“Uh, girl, you could go to Maine and get married,” Cynthia Rose sent.

“Why would I go to Maine when I can get married right where I am? California loves gays more than gays love gays.”

“She’s got a point,” Chloe sent. “And Beca, you realize you didn’t just sputter and try to deny getting married, right?”

Beca sat back and blinked at the screen of her phone for a little bit. She hadn’t. She hadn’t even thought about it. With Jesse, when it was good, she had imagined them together in the future of course, but any time one of the other Bellas had joked around about her marrying him she’d always rolled her eyes and said marriage was stupid. And now she hadn’t. there were all these little signs that told her she had done the right thing breaking up with Jesse and getting together with Mina, and this was just another one, she supposed.

“Didn’t realize that, no, but I dunno. I haven’t thought about it, really. It’s a little stupid to start thinking about it after a month and half.”

“But you two are moving in together,” Flo said. “Financially I understand, but you two aren’t doing it to save money and we all know it.”

“U-haul,” Amy sent simply.

“That’s what I was about to say,” Cynthia Rose sent back.

“Wtf why are you agreeing with the ridiculous stereotype, dude? Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, denying that’s a thing or something?” Beca typed out.

“Stereotypes gotta come from somewhere.” Beca could practically see the shrug that Cynthia Rose accompanied that text with.

“Right, ok, not thinking about marriage, and despite what you all think the moving in together was more of a convenient thing than anything. Will it be more than that, yeah, but I mean, whatever. Don’t you all have jobs you should be doing right now or something?”

“Don’t you?” Ashley sent back. “Besides, it’s my lunch break.”

There were a bunch of text messages that agreed with that and Emily just sent back “college student=no job.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I do have a job and I’m going to go do that now, aca-nerds.” She huffed out a breath. “But yeah, thanks guys you mean the world to me for the compliments and everything else. Maybe not the teasing about U-Hauls, but I can overlook that. Message you later.”

She put her phone on silent and set it aside. Only to look at the device a second later. She should probably message Jesse too. He was still her friend even if their conversations had cooled off a little in light of the breakup. They were finding their way through it as they did everything else. He would want to know this. He would want to be excited for her and with her. And she wanted that too, but probably not right now. That would take up a lot of her brain space and she was still at work. She had demos to listen to while she waited for her boss to work out the details of what artist he wanted her song for and everything else. And being not productive after something like that would just be stupid.

Beca shook herself and turned back to her still rather large pile of demos. She grabbed one out of the stack and slipped it into her computer. This was the part of the job she hated the most but newbies had to do something, she supposed. She sighed and pressed play.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Beca slumped on her couch, margarita in hand. She had no idea how she had survived this long without a blender, but finding the thing on her doorstep when she’d arrived back home had been a godsend. She grabbed ice, tequila, and lime juice and went to work after unboxing the sucker. Such a nice after work treat.

Except now that she was sitting down sipping her alcohol, there was her phone staring at her. She frowned at it loudly. How was she supposed to enjoy her drink when her phone was doing that?

She ran a hand over her face. Ugh, she knew that she had to text Jesse. But now that they were poking around each other she took forever to compose a text. Which wasn’t what she wanted, but she did want to talk to him. Jesus, adult life was hard sometimes. She just wanted to skip past all the awkward stuff again and get back to being best friends. Why wasn’t that an option? Why was it do not pass go and don’t collect two hundred bucks?

Fuck it. She picked up her phone and sent a simple “Hey.”

Beca set her phone aside and stared at it for a minute. And then another minute. And she was just going to stare at her phone until Jesse answered, which wasn’t going to do any anxiety she had a favor. She should go make dinner or something. Yeah, dinner sounded like a good idea.

She grabbed her phone and slipped it into her pocket, chugging more than sipping her margarita now. A little liquid courage never hurt anyone, well as long as they didn’t have too much anyway. One with food in her stomach soon wouldn’t be too much even if she mainlined it.

Beca set the glass aside and opened her fridge. What in the world did she want to eat? There was left over pizza from the weekend, nah, that wouldn’t take enough brain power. There was chicken thawed. That she could actually do something with, but what? She opened and closed drawers in her fridge, looking for other ingredients.

She jumped and hit her head on the freezer door when her phone vibrated against her leg. “Scheiße! Oh my god fuck me! Verdammt! Why does cursing in German sound so much cooler, ugh.”

She shook herself out, rubbing the back of her head with a pained expression. If Jesse had just sent hey back it was totally not going to be worth the pain she had just went through. She stood up and closed the fridge door, grabbing her phone out and unlocking it.

“Hey, Becs, what’s up?” was what greeted her under her original message.

Yup, nope that wasn’t actually worth banging her head hard enough to cause brain damage. She was going to need some Motrin and maybe another margarita. Could she even take Motrin when she’d been drinking? Well, she hadn’t died yet and she knew she’d done it before, oh well. Death to her liver it was.

“Nothing much, banging my head on my freezer door and killing my liver, the usual,” she sent back before making her way into the bathroom and grabbing out a couple Motrin and dry swallowing them with a grimace. Why were pills always so damn nasty?

Her phone vibrated again as she was walking out to the kitchen. She jumped again, but only a little bit and thankfully there was nothing to hit her damn head off of so she was good. She really had to get this under control before she sliced a finger off trying to cook or something.

“Do I want to know?” Jesse texted back.

“Your last text scared me and I hit my head and now I’m taking Motrin for my head while drinking a margarita.”

“Oh, ok, that’s a lot less dramatic than you made it sound.”

“What were you going to make a movie out of my misadventures?” Beca rolled her eyes and set the phone aside. She dug back in her fridge again. Chicken, a few assorted vegetables that were nearing the end of their life. Stir fry would work. And then she would probably have to go grocery shopping in the next few days, ugh.

“I mean, that whole thing with worlds and you guys beating DSM would make a great movie, but your normal every day, Becs, not so much. Sorry, but you’re the socially awkward clumsy person, no one likes movies about that.”

“Hey! I take offense to that.” She stuck out her tongue at the phone, knowing full well that he couldn’t see that, but feeling better anyway. She started to pull the chicken out of the package and slice it into thin strips. Jesse texted in the middle of her work, but she thought it would be stupid to wash her hands only to answer one text, so she kept on until she was done.

“Not my fault, it’s just how the market is :P”

“I’ll show you market. I’ll fight you.”

“Yeah, I’m so scared.”

“Is that a short joke?”

“Basically everything you do is a short joke.”

Beca groaned and shook her head. She’d missed their banter like this, but Jesus, both him and Mina with the freaking short jokes.

“I’ll have you know I’m going to take the music world by storm soon. That’s not a joke.”

“Wait, really?” Jesse responded immediately.

“Yes, really.” She typed out a message that gave him the run down what had happened. She left out the fact that Mina had played any part in how she got noticed by her boss, though. She wasn’t sure if it was far enough out for her to mention her girlfriend yet. She didn’t want to ruin the fun conversation she was having. She’d give him another few weeks to chill and cope before she tried, and then if he couldn’t handle it after that…well she’d deal with it later, but Mina was going to come first and she knew that.

“Becs, that’s so great. A month in and you’re already making waves. It’s not surprising, but still. It’s so great. Send me a bit of your luck?”

“Nope. :P My luck, I need every drop of it and you know it. Besides you have your internship at your studio and I know you’ll rock it without any extra luck. The Bellas are already planning to do a mashup of the song when it comes out. I’m now of course required to come to whatever performance they use it for, obviously, but I think it’ll be fun.”

“You guys did well the last time you used an original Bella song, I don’t see how it could go wrong. But thanks, some days even though this is a paid internship I don’t feel like it’s actually doing much more than coffee.”

Beca laughed. “Yeah, I’m well aware of that feeling, but there will be an opportunity sometime that’ll make it worthwhile. I have faith in you. Hell, that whole Flashlight thing is what got me a job out here in the first place.”

“True. I remember it’s just. You know. -.-”

“At least you get paid to do it. I got free burritos and that was about it.”

“But you love burritos.”

“Not the point I’m making here, Jesse.”

She dumped her dinner ingredients one by one into her pan and cooked them, stirring rapidly. It smelled heavenly and Beca wondered how in the world she’d gone half a day without eating because suddenly she was fucking starving.

“Fine, fine, it is good that I get paid. Otherwise I have no idea what I’d be doing right now. Maybe living off ramen and working two jobs. Man, that would suck.”

“See, silver lining.”

“From the girl who’s a dark rain cloud half the time.”

“Just because I wear a lot of eyeliner doesn’t make me a dark cloud.”

“No, but the dark sense of humor, sarcasm, and dreary outlook on life does.”

Beca huffed. “Ok, so two of those are true, but my outlook on life isn’t dreary. It’s realistic.”

“Not freshman year.”

“Freshman year was four years ago! People change.”

“Fair enough.”

She poured her food onto a plate and grabbed a fork. They needed a set of chopsticks probably. Something cheap since they weren’t going to be used a lot, a lot, but something. She’d have to talk to Mina about that. She didn’t know if she liked Asian food, but probably. She didn’t know how anyone in the world could get by in college without some sort of Asian-esque takeout.

Beca took her food and her phone back out to the couch and flipped on the TV. It would be hours before Mina was up. Might as well pass the time by talking to Jesse. They were having a nice conversation. It almost felt like the old times, minus the sexual tension that just sort of came with being involved. She took a picture of her food and sent it to him with a caption “Be jealous.”

She spent most of the night talking to him, finishing up her dinner and cleaning up the dishes while texting back and forth. It was a little piece of almost normal in a big giant sea of unfamiliar. LA was beginning to feel like home, but not quite. Talking to Jesse made it a little easier, not as easy as Mina made it, but it was different sort of easy from Mina, and so she would take it.

Around nine Jesse signed off, going to bed so he could actually be alive the next day for his internship. Beca yawned herself as she sat back on the couch. She still had at least three hours until Mina was up. She was tired, and the alcohol from the second margarita wasn’t helping matters. She decided to go take a shower to pass the time, but by the time ten thirty rolled around she was clean, warm, and down for the count.

“I was going to wait until you were up so I could say goodnight, but I can’t keep my eyes open right now. I love you. Call me tomorrow and wake me up?” Beca sent before putting her phone aside and falling asleep almost instantly.


	8. Chapter 8

Her phone rang just as she was starting to wake up. Beca breathed in and sighed out a breath. Well. That was convenient. She yawned and sat up, reaching for her phone.

“Hello?”

“Hallo, kleine maus,” Mina said, smile radiating through her voice and across an ocean.

“You’re finally awake sleeping beauty.” Beca found herself smiling without even realizing what she was doing.

“To me, it’s you who’s sleeping beauty. I’ve been up for hours.”

“Yeah, well, you need to fix your sleeping schedule again. I texted you at like ten in the morning yesterday and you were already asleep.”

“I’m working on it, mouse. But your text message, your boss is going to use the song?” Mina sounded almost as excited as Beca had been the day before and her excitement in turn sparked Beca’s once more.

“Yeah! He is, I mean not for Nikolai, but for someone else and I can’t even believe it.”

“I’m so happy for you, liebling. It is a truly wonderful song and I’m glad your boss recognized this. You will get to executive producer in no time.”

Beca laughed. “I think you’re skipping a few steps there, but thanks for the vote of confidence. It means a lot.” She flopped back against the bed. “I thought I’d have to work for at least six months before my boss would even want me to produce a note, but here we are.”

“Tell me, have you kept a copy of the song with you singing it?” Mina sounded almost shy asking.

Beca’s face scrunched as she looked at her phone before answering. “Of course, yeah, why?”

“Good. I want that copy. I will, of course, support the song when it comes out from whatever artist, but you wrote that song about me, liebling. It only seems right that the best version will be the one with you singing to me, ja?”

Beca wanted to melt into a pile of goo on her bed. “Ja, oh my god, ja. You’re so cute and perfect and I don’t even know what to do with you.”

“I feel the same way about you, little mouse.”

“We’re so damn disgusting with the cute.”

“Yes, the world will just have to deal with it.”

Beca snorted. “Yeah, I guess they will because I’m not letting you go anytime soon.” She groaned as she levered herself out of bed. “By the way, I think the Bellas will do a mashup of the song when it comes out. We’ll have to go see them perform it, obviously.”

“As long as it’s not during sometime I need to be at school, then of course.”

“Awesome. Hold on a second, brushing teeth.”

Mina laughed. “I will hold on then.”

“On second thought, how was your day yesterday and today?”

“Mmm, Pieter is a complete idiot. He almost broke his leg during rehearsal yesterday because of some stupid dare with one of the young ones. I told him he would not be an effective leader if he kept stunts like that up, but he just smiled and asked me if I saw him because it was quote ‘awesome.’ I responded by banning anyone from trying to jump from the light rigging again on pain of death or something worse if I can think of it.”

Beca spit out her mouth of toothpaste and paused before starting again. “Jesus, that sounds stupid. Pieter didn’t seem that damn stupid.”

“Usually, no, but I believe he got caught up in testosterone and mob mentality. Not that those are excuses, but they certainly explain a lot.”

Beca hummed again as she scrubbed her teeth for a final time.

“Of course, rehearsal after that was mostly be keeping other stupid stunts from happening. And then I made them run laps. Many, many laps.” Mina chuckled darkly. “They didn’t have the energy to do anything stupid after that, I dare say.”

“Evil, I like it.”

She laughed again, taking on a sexy, smoky tone. “Oh, I bet you will, liebling.”

Beca blinked, splashing a little cold water on her face while she was grabbing water to rinse the toothpaste out of her mouth. “Jesus, do you have to do that? I’m trying to get ready for work, not a nice day with my legs wrapped around your head.”

“Ah, that does sound lovely. Forty-four days now. I hope that you have no plans on the day that I am flying in.”

“Oh I do, they all end with you in our bed completely naked begging to be fucked.”

Mina pulled in a breath. “Then we are on the same page.”

“Good. Not that the whole Skype sessions aren’t nice, but that first day will be nothing but us fucking as soon as we get home and then when we’re too tired for that we’ll make love and then when we can’t stand it anymore, only then can we cuddle.”

Ugh she needed a cold shower right now, but she didn’t have time for one. She ran more cold water over her wrists and shook herself. Over halfway there damn it.

“No pausing for food?”

“I’ll be eating you, who needs food?”

Mina hummed again. “Wonderful, perhaps during the cuddling then we can order dinner, perhaps watch a movie.”

Beca started putting on her makeup. “Sounds good to me. I already found this pretty awesome pizza place down the road. They deliver so it’s perfect.”

“You’ve planned it out well.”

“More like I just wanted pizza and checked yelp for what was good, but sure if we want to give me more credit than I’m due, I’m all good with that. Fuck!” She reached for a makeup wipe as she looked at her fucked up wing on her eyeliner.

“Something wrong?”

“Eyeliner malfunction, nothing deadly, nor anything you probably experience. What you can probably freehand eyeliner in like a minute.”

“And if I can?” Beca could hear the cocked eyebrow in Mina’s voice.

“I hate you the tiniest bit. Do you know how long I’ve been wearing eyeliner and I still can’t do that.”

“Perhaps I’ll teach you my ways.”

Beca retouched the eyeliner and nodded. Good as it was going to get for the day. She grabbed the mascara and put a quick coat on, standing back and looking herself over. If she tamed her hair a little and moussed it, she’d be good to go.

“Engel, what the hell am I wearing today?” Beca asked walking back out into her room. Didn’t make any sense to do her hair and then fuck it up by dragging a shirt over it.

“What do you want to wear, more casual or more business-like?”

Beca bit her lip and thought about it. She wasn’t going to a meeting today, she wasn’t doing anything in the producing booth, she was really just sitting around and listening to more demos. Unless her boss decided to do something with her song today. She groaned.

“Um something in the middle of that probably? I don’t know what’s going on today with the song and I should probably be ready for anything.”

“Nice blouse and dark blue or black skinny jeans with heels then. Paired with simple jewelry. You will look nice without looking over dressed.”

“Thank you.” Beca dug around in her closet for just that outfit, though she scrunched up her face at the heels. Her feet were going to kill her later, but damn it she would live with the consequences.

“I’m going to do this every morning we live together, aren’t I?”

“Um, maybe? I think we all know I sort of have problems making decisions. You don’t have that problem.”

“Mmm, mostly because I know what I would like to take off of you at the end of the day.”

“Why do you do this to me? Are you trying to kill me from sexual frustration? Is that your end game, but it’s working.” Beca groaned and buttoned up her blouse.

“No, I do not want to kill you, little mouse, but as always I enjoy flustering you. You are cute when flustered.

“Fuck you, no wait, I take that back because you’ll just make that into an innuendo and if this conversation continues as it is I’m going to have to change my damn underwear because I’m apparently a fifteen year old boy who can’t control my urges. Jesus.” She pulled on her jeans and went to go style her hair.

“Yes, I would have made quite the innuendo.”

Beca didn’t have to see Mina’s face to know that she had that amused glint in her eyes and that smug smirk on her face. She was in love with an idiot. A beautiful, German Goddess, idiot.

“How come you get simple idioms wrong, but no innuendos you have completely grasp on?” Beca asked finger combing her hair.

“Because innuendos are much more fun to learn. And they make sense. What sense does dead as a doornail make? None.”

“Well, it isn’t actually alive, so it does make sense.”

“But who comes up with these sayings? Of course a door nail is dead, it is inanimate. Can something that is inanimate truly be dead since it was never alive?”

Beca laughed. “I think you overthink these things. We’ve been over this. German idioms probably won’t make any sense to me and yet you’ll think they’re perfectly acceptable.”

“Pff, whatever you say, mouse. Americans. You always think you are the best and the most right people there are in the world.”

“Actually I don’t think we’re worth two cents half the time, but eh.”

“Uh huh,” Mina said skeptically.

Beca rubbed the mousse between her fingers and spread it through her hair. When she was done she looked good, better than normal, but not too obviously. She picked up her phone, grabbed her laptop bag from beside her bed and headed out to the kitchen. She looked down at the microwave.

“Shit, engel. I’ve got to go like right now or I’m going to be late. Text you at lunch, ok?”

“Of course, liebling. I look forward to your texts.”

“Awesome, love you, bye.”

“Love you too.”

Beca hit the end button, grabbed a granola bar and hurried out the door. At this rate she was going to have to move up her wakeup time if she kept being this close to being late. Then again, that could mean a little more time to talk to Mina if she got ready early. She bit her lip. Sacrificing a little sleep for that would be worth. She’d ask Mina about it later. Until then, she started up her car and drove as fast as LA traffic would let her.


	9. Chapter 9

Three weeks later her boss finally walked into her little cubical. “Come on, Mitchell. You’re with me in the booth today.”

Beca stood up quickly. “What, really?”

“Of course, I said I’d let you in on the sessions when we were recording the song you submitted.”

“Oh awesome.” She gathered her stuff up and followed him. “I just wasn’t aware that you’d found an artist yet.”

“Oh yeah, she agreed to do the song a couple days after you gave it to me, there just wasn’t studio time that didn’t conflict with her schedule until now.”

“Who’s singing?”

“This artist who’s a mashup of techno and indie. The lyrics you wrote fit her perfectly but the music will have to be tweaked just a bit. Think her name is Veronica Lovely, or at least that’s what she goes by in the biz, you know the drill.”

Beca nodded. She knew of Veronica Lovely. She had decent stuff. Beca had a few songs by her on her iPod and she agreed, Veronica was a better fit than Nikolai had been.

“Oh cool, so there needs to be a more indie feel to the mix, maybe some actual instrument tracks?”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, we layer that over top of what you’ve got, maybe slow it down about ten beats, maybe five, and it should work pretty nicely.” He stroked at his chin. “She may have something to add, but working with her before, if it isn’t her track that’s she’s written normally she just sits back and enjoys everything. She’s a terror to work with on her tracks, though. Makes good music, but damn, I miss the days where she was a young artist and a little too scared to be dropped from the label to really put up a fight.”

Beca scrunched her face up out of her boss’s line of sight. That was not how she wanted to be as a producer. Music was personal and if you wrote it, you really wanted it to be your vision, not someone else’s spiced up for sale version. Then again, wasn’t that what she was doing right now? Ugh, her head hurt already.

When they got into the booth Veronica was already in the recording studio, headphones on, ready to go. She looked over as they came in and gave a heads up.

“Hey guys.” She waved.

Immediately her boss got down to business. “Ok, take it from the top, if you would.”

Beca sat down beside him, looking at the mixing board and trying not to smile like an idiot. She loved being in the booth. It was such an intense feeling to be able to manipulate sound however you wanted with just the flip of a few switches. She bobbed her head slightly as the first few chords of her song came in, playing around them.

A bar later Veronica came in with the first line. “Warm sky, blue smiles.”

Beca’s face scrunched at that. There wasn’t supposed to be a pause in there. It changed the meaning of the line completely. She bit her lip and looked over at her boss wondering if she should speak up or not. Maybe she’d just wait until he called for a pause and bring up her concerns then. It was a love song, blue smiles really didn’t work for a love song.

Thankfully halfway through the second line her boss called for a cut. “Stop.”

Veronica stopped and looked through the glass, waiting for whatever her boss was about to say.

“Your voice isn’t strong enough. A little more emotion please, or you aren’t going to sell that you’re really in love here.”

Beca swallowed and took a breath. “And the first line, you put a pause between sky and blue. Love songs aren’t about sad smiles.” She waited for her boss to crack down on her, but he just nodded along.

“Good point. Next take.”

They went through several takes with her boss suggesting different things for Veronica to try, but they both turned to each other every time with looks on their faces that weren’t pleased. Something just wasn’t working.

“Do you think it would be better if we could layer the instrumentals over now?” Beca asked twirling around a pen in her fingers while Veronica took a water break.

“Nah, the instrumentals won’t hide the vocals here. Honestly, we should be able to sell the song without the other instruments, but they’ll make it fit more into her next album.”

Beca nodded her understanding. “You think it might be a lack of motivation? Like I don’t know about you but the songs about love where I can _feel_ just how in love they are, are the best ones. I kind of don’t get that here. She’s got a pretty voice but it’s…empty.”

Her boss nodded slowly. “I think you’re right, but I don’t know how to tell her how to sound like she’s in love. Tone and pitch I got, and I can tell her to sound in love, but she’s the one who’s gotta pull that out. We aren’t miracle workers.” He frowned and scrubbed his hands over his face. “Whatever, I’ll tell her what needs done and if that doesn’t work we can go from there.”

Veronica put her headphones back on and gave a thumbs up to them. Her boss issued the orders, but after a take he clearly still wasn’t having it. He let Veronica sing on, but her turned to Beca again.

“When you sang it, it was good. Any advice other than she’s gotta sound like she’s in love?”

Beca bit her lip and thought for a few seconds. “I mean, I could talk to her and maybe let her know what inspired the song and see if any of that sparks a chord in her? I don’t know that’s all I’ve got.”

Her boss shrugged. “Have at it, I don’t have any better ideas.”

Beca stood up. “Ok, hold on then. Hopefully this works.” If it didn’t work she was a little bit screwed and a lot a bit embarrassed, but it would be worth it if this song actually happened. She didn’t want her boss to try and scrap it if Veronica couldn’t pull it off. She clenched her fists and opened the door to the sound studio.

Veronica was standing in her place, silent, looking towards the glass. A second later she turned towards Beca. Beca took another deep breath and motioned for Veronica to follow her. She wasn’t doing this in a room full of microphones, that would just be a little bit dumb. Veronica shrugged and took off her headphone and followed Beca right outside.

“Okay, so I know this is probably getting a little frustrating since Mack hasn’t liked a single thing you’ve done today, and that sucks.”

Veronica nodded, waiting to see where Beca was going with this.

“And I know as an artist you hate being told how to sing, but.” Beca huffed out a breath. “You know those flings you have? The ones that are super intense and you feel so much in so little time that you can’t even begin to think they’re real and after they end they stick with you for the rest of your life.”

Veronica nodded. “The weekends that you meet someone in a different town and you have the time of your lives, yeah I’ve had a couple on tour.” She sighed and got a faraway look on her face. “Never worked out in the long run though.”

“Yeah, well, that feeling of warmth you have when those flings happen, that’s what this song almost felt like for me when I was writing it. When I was singing it too. Because my girlfriend and I had one of those flings in Copenhagen of all places, but it didn’t end after the weekend. She’s been in Germany for the last two months and a week, but she’s coming here to go to grad school. This song is that fling that worked out. Imagine that while you’re singing, if you can, one of those intense weekends working out and how that would feel.”

Veronica tilted her head. “Hmm, well, it’s worth a shot.” She shrugged. “You wrote this song?”

Beca nodded. “Yeah, ironically in a weekend, too.”

Veronica whistled. “Hell of an inspiration there.”

“You have no idea.”

“Tell Mack to give me a minute before the next take, gotta gather my thoughts, but then we’ll see, eh?”

“Cool.”

Beca walked back to the booth and sat down. “I think I might have gotten through to her, but I don’t know. We’ll see if it translates. She said to give her a minute before the next take though.”

Mack shrugged. “All right, we’ll see if you’ve worked your magic again, newbie.”

Beca rolled her eyes and didn’t say anything to that. At least her boss knew her name wasn’t Reggie, it was an improvement to her internship.

Veronica walked back into the sound studio. Beca saw instantly how she changed in the minute she hadn’t seen the woman. How she walked, carried herself, her facial expression, it was all different. Hot damn, Beca wondered what the hell kind of switch that woman just flipped to be like that in an instant. She didn’t understand, but at least it looked like maybe her song stood a chance.

The singer gave the thumbs up and a second later they were recording and Beca sat back. Wow. She blinked and pinched herself not sure that what was happening in front of her was really happening. Everything was completely different. Beca could feel the love, the want, the longing, everything that she felt for Mina reflected back at her intensified and raw. She let out a breath slowly, tears pricking at her eyes. She’d never imagine it could sound like this.

Her boss turned towards her. “I don’t know what the hell you told her, but if you could get every singer that came into this studio to do that, I’d pay you in gold bars. Hol-ly.”

Beca looked away bashfully. “I mean I just told her about why I wrote the song, the rest really is coming from her and her interpretation of it.”

“Beside the point, Mitchell. You did well.”

They recorded until they reached the key change for the last bit of the song. Her boss told Veronica to take another five while they set everything up. He then turned to Beca.

“Set up the stuff for the change, will you? I’ll be right back.”

Beca nodded and went to fixing the mixing boards so they were good to go. She patted her legs, beating out a nonsensical rhythm out on her skin to pass the time. Everything was going so well she didn’t even know what to do with herself.

She pulled out her phone and turned the chair around so the shot got in the mixing equipment and the sound studio window. She took a picture of her smiling widely in the corner of the shot with everything behind her. Beca quickly typed out the caption “We’re recording the song today. Going great!” She sent that snap to everyone she knew.

Beca went back to the picture screen and took another picture of the back of Veronica. “Well it wasn’t, but then I explained how much ily” and then another picture of herself smiling while biting her lip. “To her and now it’s great. Like you. <3”

She slipped her phone back in her pocket just as her boss walked back in the door. He surveyed the boards and nodded. “Good job. All right, let’s get to doing.”

They recorded the rest of the song in one take. Her boss nodded and instructed for a few more takes just to be sure, but by lunch they were done. Mack thanked Veronica and started talked about the next time she could come in. There were still a couple spots on her album that were blank. Beca took it that all of Veronica’s stuff was already recorded and now they were just filling up spots so they could make a complete album. Beca just stood off to the side during the whole exchange. She didn’t quite know if she was free to go or not and she didn’t want to leave just in case. Worst case she was just standing around for no reason when she could be listening to more demos and that wasn’t what she wanted, anyway.

Her boss bid Veronica goodbye and her turned back to Beca. “Oh good, hoped you’d stick around. You heard she still needs songs?”

Beca nodded. “Yeah, how many more before the album’s good to go?”

“Three, maybe four, we’ll see what works out.” He shrugged. “She’s already got a few recorded, but they don’t quite fit in the lineup we have now but that may change. Albums are fickle things, Mitchell. But the point I was trying to make here is try your hand again. There are a few others I’ve asked for songs, but hey, if you can produce something like that song again then we might be in business. You got potential, I like potential.” He nodded at her. “But for Nikolai, you haven’t had an associate producer spot yet, have you?”

She shook her head.

“Hmm, he’s up your alley too. Why don’t you join in on that project? A little more experience won’t hurt you.”

Beca lit up. Two months in and she was doing so much better than she had ever thought she would be and it was all because of Mina. She never would have thought that having a girlfriend would get her this far, but hot damn she would take it.

“Oh my god, that’d be great.”

“Good, meeting for that is on Thursday at one. See you there.”

Beca watched as her boss walked away. Wow. She wasn’t sure that had just happened, but it was too good not to be true. Her brain did not work that way.

She opened snapchat again and took a picture of her still rather surprised face. “Guess who’s an associate producer on Nikolai’s album?”

She sat down on her desk. “Twenty-three days until I see your beautiful face.” She was smiling wide in her picture.

Another picture of the demos on her desk. “I think some of these might still be in the pile then, ugh.”

And with that she put her phone away and started to listen for yet another pile of demos, taking notes along the way. She bit her lip, while listening, though, brain only half on the music. She wondered just what she could come up with for another song. The first one had almost been a fluke. She’d just been so inspired out of nowhere. Well, not out of nowhere since her boss had told her to write a song, but the actual words and song and everything had been basically. Who was to say she could do that again?

Her thoughts revolved around that for the rest of the day and she was amazed that she actually got through all her demos for the day. But then again she’d been multitasking the entire time she’d been with Mina because her thoughts never really ever left the other woman. This was almost like that, but she still couldn’t wait until Mina was up again she could talk to her about all that happened.


	10. Chapter 10

Four days later she was sitting on her couch with a beer open beside her, staring at her composition program. She didn’t have any ideas. Well, that was wrong. She had a bass line that _would not_ leave her head. It was faster and louder than that of her last song. And it was driving her insane playing through her brain on repeat like some sort of fucking ear worm. Ba-ba-ba-da-dum-dum-thum-thump-thump. Ba-dum-dun-dun-da-dun-dun. Over. And over. And over again.

It was too fast for a love song, too intense for longing, both of which Beca had in droves. She could probably form words for those emotions. Though she really didn’t want to do another love song right after the first one, so this dilemma wasn’t wholly unacceptable. She didn’t want to be considered a one trick pony or anything this early on.

Finally she broke down and actually imputed the bass line into the program. She might as well roll with it. If nothing else she might have the beginnings of a song. But as she wrote down the bass line more music came to her, still fast and happy, definitely something that could be danced to, more on the techno side of it than indie, but there was a lilting violin line, acoustic guitar, and muted trumpets to pull it back from being fully techno.

Beca hummed along to the song in her head as she put note after note down. She couldn’t quite figure out what it was yet, though. It was fast and happy, so what? That didn’t do her much good. She finished about halfway through and sat back. The next half was going to be a lot of the same, maybe with a few things switched, but she wasn’t afraid of losing the music now. She sighed and tapped her fingers against her arms.

Maybe Mina might know something. And if she didn’t well then Beca was still talking to her girlfriend so what the fuck did it really matter? She looked down at her clock. Except it was only ten at night so it was only seven in the morning in Germany. She groaned and banged her head on the back of the couch. She was so ready for this separation to be over.

“Call me when you wake up, beautiful?” she texted and then threw her phone aside.

She sighed heavily. She had almost made it through. Nineteen days left. But now that she wasn’t working on her song she was sort of adrift. She would definitely not just have to call Mina tonight, but Skype her. She needed to see the other woman’s face so badly she couldn’t even put words to it. She drew in a shuddering breath. She hadn’t realized it was possible to miss someone this damn much after only knowing them, at least in a face to face capacity, for such a short time.

Beca threw a couch pillow across the room and huffed. Without the Bellas this would have never happened. She would have never opened herself up to Mina. Hell she wouldn’t have even been with Jesse without the Bellas. She definitely wouldn’t have been in Copenhagen for that one wonderful weekend of her life. It was all their fault she was a walking romantic drama cliché, sitting on the couch, missing the person she loved. If she started crying she was going to need more than a beer to get her through. Good thing she still had tequila from her margarita binge a few weeks back. That would do nicely.

Though it wouldn’t make Mina just randomly appear in LA almost three weeks ahead of time. Three weeks sounded so damn short but it wasn’t. It was totally a lie. She turned her head and groaned into the couch cushion.

“Scrap that, Skype me. I miss you so bad right now it isn’t even funny. So like if you happened to wake up early or something, you should totally call asap.” Beca sent and then looked at her phone for a straight minute, hoping that somehow Mina was awake and would respond. Which of course didn’t happen.

Yesterday was a DSM rehearsal day. Mina would be tired, she would definitely sleep until at least nine. What the hell was she going to do for another two hours or more? She was not going to sit on this damn couch and mope. She didn’t mope over missing people. She did mope, but that was beside the point.

She looked at her phone again. Maybe Chloe would be up. It was one in the morning on the east coast, but it was Friday. There was a chance that she was up. She was definitely taking that chance and running with it because damn did she need a distraction or there was totally going to be tequila coming out and she didn’t want to talk to Mina shit faced. She actually wanted to remember their conversation, thank you very much.

“Chloe, for the love of god if you are awake message me back,” she sent.

If Chloe wasn’t awake maybe she should go bake something. Baking took time. Especially if she baked something complicated. Those pinwheel cookies she made took forever and they were damn good. Which probably would only get her mind at least half off of Mina, but it was something, and at least then she would have cookies. Chocolate cookies. There were no wrongs that chocolate cookies couldn’t fix. At least temporarily. It was a good back up plan anyway.

“I’m wake but nt sober,” Chloe texted back finally.

Beca almost cheered. “You don’t have to be sober, you just have to distract me. Where the hell are you partying anyway?”

“Bar wit Amy and Aubrey.”

“You still there?” Going to a bar with Amy and Aubrey. Well that would be a trip. Maybe a fun trip or maybe a terrifying trip, she wasn’t sure and she was glad she didn’t have to find out.

“Yu p I’ll drrnk other fr u.”

“Chloe, I think you might need to grab a water if your texting skills are reflecting just how drunk you are.”

“M fine.”

“Is Aubrey near you?”

“Ihgt side me.”

“Hand her your phone.”

“Kay.”

Beca bit her lip. She hoped that Aubrey wasn’t as gone as Chloe. Beca knew exactly just how drunk her friend was to have to be misspelling things badly enough that autocorrect wasn’t catching them. Or Chloe for that matter. She was a bit of a spelling and grammar freak. Bottom line was she definitely needed someone else there to make sure she got home ok and knowing Amy she wasn’t going to be that person. Bumper had probably already shown up and they’d probably already snuck of to do whatever. Beca rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Chloe said you wanted to talk to me,” Aubrey texted.

Beca blew out a relieved breath. “Yeah, just to make sure both of you weren’t completely shit faced,” she sent back.

“No, I’m buzzed enough to have a good time, but sober enough to know what’s going on.”

“Awesome, and you’ll take care of Chlo, right?”

“Of course, Beca, she is a sister after all.”

Beca snorted at that. Of course Aubrey would put it in terms of the Bellas. Four years out and still the woman was as Bella obsessed as she’d ever been.

“I know, but it’s nice to have confirmation since I’m halfway across the country and everything and can’t do much other than worry. She is my best friend after all.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll put her to bed and leave out water and aspirin. She’s going to need it.”

“Thanks, and as drunk as she is, you might want to just keep her phone.”

“Already ahead of you. I’ll make sure she talks to you tomorrow, too, so you can confirm she’s alive.”

“Thanks, Aubrey, you’re the best.”

“I know, night Beca.”

“Night.”

Beca sighed and put her phone to the side. Well, she was glad that Chloe was having a good time even though college had finally ended for her. Seven years. She couldn’t even imagine being in for that long. She’d liked college, but this feeling of actually progressing in her life, she wouldn’t give it up for the world.

But now that Chloe was exhausted as a possibility for distraction and the conversation with her had only taken, she looked at the clock on her phone and groaned, twenty minutes, she still had at least an hour and forty minutes to blow. Fuck it. Cookies it was.

She hauled herself off the couch and walked into the kitchen. She needed music. Music could help her drown out the thoughts that baking didn’t. Except it couldn’t be too loud or neighbors would complain. Sometimes apartment complexes had their downfalls. At least she knew the walls around here were decently thick. That would come in handy now…and later. She banged her head gently off the wall. Why did she have to circle right back around to thinking about Mina again? Was she some sort of goldfish?

She huffed and went to grab her laptop. Beca set it far off to the side, cranked the volume up loud enough so it could be heard everywhere in the apartment, but not at deafening levels and pulled on an apron that Mina had joking bought her along with one of her purchases for the apartment. It had a little mouse on it eating cheese. Mina had thought it was so witty she’d laughed for a good five minutes when Beca had held it up during one Skype call and asked her if she was serious. She had been, of course. Now she ran her hands over it and smiled wistfully for just a second before she assaulted her cabinets and fridge, tearing out flour, butter, sugar, eggs, chocolate, vanilla, mixing bowls, rolling pins, whatever she needed.

Beca started combining the dry goods while she waited for the butter to warm up to room temperature. Sifters were evil things and got stuff everywhere and her hands were always sore by the time she got through one batch of flour, but at least she did manage to concentrate on something and Florence and the Machine played in the background. When the dry goods were all sifted together in a bowl Beca sat back and grimaced, massaging her hand. Whoever designed the damn thing was a masochist.

She turned around and felt the butter. Not warm enough yet to cream with the sugar. She frowned. Maybe the melting the chocolate would give it enough time. She went over to the stove and started to break up the chocolate blocks into smaller pieces.

Beca wondered if Mina had a favorite cookie. She wondered if it was as mundane as chocolate chip or if it was something more complicated. There were probably German cookie recipes that Beca didn’t know that she liked. She’d totally learn them if Mina wanted, though. She liked a challenge.

She huffed as she stirred the chocolate over the little makeshift double boiler she’d made. She wasn’t supposed to be thinking about Mina and how much she missed her or if she wanted to make her fancy German cookies that were probably better than American cookies.  Ok, so maybe she was a goldfish. A really big goldfish whose nickname was little mouse who produced music. That wasn’t weird was it.

Yeah. Yeah it was. She really just needed it to be midnight already.

But now the chocolate was melted and Beca checked the butter again. A little cool, but it should be good enough really. She threw it into the mixing bowl of the mixer along with the sugar and turned it on low. Things started to come together quickly after that, ingredients added one by one until she had a dough. She swiped a bit and hummed. Dough always tasted so good, fuck the potential salmonella, she would eat it if she pleased. She was an adult.

She set the dough aside. It needed to rest at least an hour before she could roll it out. Mina’s arm muscles would make rolling it out a piece of cake. Except she still wasn’t here. She shrieked loudly and then immediately regretted it. She hoped no one called the cops. Hopefully Regina Spektor covered that up, but it was one of her quieter songs so Beca sort of doubted it. Damn it. Mina would have a field day if she called her and Beca told her that the police showed up at her door because someone heard a scream and reported it. Please let her neighbors be apathetic, please. She would never live this down.

But minutes passed and there were no sirens, so Beca thought that she was safe for now at least.

She looked over at the clock again. Eleven fifteen. Oh my god someone had to be fucking with the clocks right now because there was no way that such a small amount of time had passed. Well. An hour almost, but still. Jesus.

She started to clean everything up with maybe a bit more energy than the task required. Fucking stupid time. She piled all the of the dishes in the sink and scrubbed at all of them. It would pass more time than just sticking the damn things in the dish washer.

Unbidden an image of her and Mina washing the dishes together, flicking soap bubbles at the other and getting everything dirtier than it already was rather than cleaner came to mind. She would totally go for Mina’s nose, swiping a bunch of bubbles there and laughing because it would look completely ridiculous. Mina would probably respond by putting bubbles in Beca’s hair because she had the height advantage. Beca would squeal and splash water at her, and by the time they were done, there were no bubbles left in the sink and there wasn’t really a lot of water left either. Instead it was all on the floor and on their clothes and on the counter, but they would be smiling like complete fucking idiots.

Yeah, she’d become one of those people. She already knew that but damn it, dishes reminded her of Mina, really? She might as well hang up a sign over her head that said I’m pathetic please laugh at me. She huffed and washed the rest of the dishes with a scowl on her face.

When she was done she pulled herself up on the counter by her laptop and selected a playlist of super ridiculous love songs. As long as she was going to be like this she might as well own it. The cookies still had at least forty minutes to chill and she still had at least thirty until Mina called. She settled in for a long wait and just stared at the fridge for a long while.


	11. Chapter 11

She practically fell off the damn counter when her laptop finally rang loud enough to wake people back in Germany. She scrambled back down to the floor and paused her music and hit the answer button while lowering the volume. Her neighbors did not need to hear her conversation with her girlfriend, if they could. Whatever, the point still stood.

“Oh thank you Jesus Christ Father in Heaven,” Beca said when Mina’s face took up her computer screen. She was never as tempted to hug her computer as she was in that instant.

Mina cocked an eyebrow. “I am none of those things, mouse, but I think you are well aware of that.” She fluffed her hair with her fingers and yawned.

Beca melted. It was obvious that Mina had almost literally just woken up and called her. She was still in her pjs, hair as all over the place as it ever got for Mina, with the last fading marks of a pillow on one of her cheeks. Warmth flooded through her and she felt ok for the first time all day.

“Yeah, I’m just…I missed you a lot today and it’s really nice to see your face and hear your voice.”

Mina smiled softly and reached towards the screen. Skype glitched for a second, but then she could see Mina’s arms extending from the screen back towards her.

“Are you tracing my image on the screen?” Beca raised an eyebrow.

“Ja, I am. It’s the closest I can get to touching you for the next eighteen days. You are too cute not to do something.”

“You’re cute too. So cute. God I can’t wait to hug you. Like really, the only time I like being this god damn small is when you wrap me up in your arms and you’re just all around me and you smell like cinnamon and you squeeze me just enough but not too much and I can hear your heart beating under my ear and it’s just perfect.” Beca blinked back a few tears. Damn it, she needed to get a grip. “I just, I miss you a lot and I wish it was closer even though it’s a lot closer than it was at the beginning because I’m not exactly holding it together too well right now.”

“Oh, little mouse, I can’t wait for all of those things too. I miss you more than I can find words for in English, in all the languages I speak really. They’re not strong enough, though German does come closest, but not close enough. But it’s less than three weeks now until I can hug you for such a long time that we make strangers uncomfortable and I can glare them into submission because what’s important is that I have you in my arms. And then I can kiss you until we both forget our names and then we can go home and we won’t have to miss each other for a very long time.”

Beca sniffed. “You promise?” She wanted to slap herself for sounding like a fucking five year old, but it was really what she wanted to know and she still hadn’t found the filter she once had on her speech. She wasn’t sure she’d ever find it again with Mina.

“I promise. I don’t think I’ll have any reason to be gone for this long ever again. A week, maybe two, but nothing like this. They don’t like you to go far in grad school.” She smiled as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “And I don’t want to go far from you.”

“Thank god.”

“I feel the same way, liebling. Ich liebe dich, kleine maus.”

“I love you too, engel.” Beca drew in a shuddering breath and wiped a few tears of her own away. “Do you wanna bake cookies with me?” She asked, voice still a little shaky.

“Of course, what sort of cookies?”

“They’re these chocolate pinwheel cookies that I really like. They take forever to make though because you have to make two separate doughs so, you know, they’re actually pinwheels. But I made the doughs earlier while I was waiting for you to wake up because I had nothing better to do and I was missing you enough to just sit like a lump on my couch and I really didn’t want to be like that so I made something chocolate instead, which maybe or may not have been more productive, but cookies.” She shrugged just slightly.

“You’ll have to show you what you mean, I’m not quite sure.”

Beca bit her lip for a second, considering how to show Mina the type of cookie she meant. She grabbed up her phone and googled what she wanted before pulling up a picture. “That’s what I mean.” She held out her phone, looking at the little part of the screen she occupied to make sure Mina could actually see what she was doing.

“Ah, those, I thought those were only American Christmas myths.”

“No, why would they be?”

She shrugged. “The only place I’ve seen them are on American Christmas specials.”

“And what exactly do you consider a cookie, then? Boring chocolate chip?”

“Those are nice, but I prefer a spicier cookie.”

“Gingerbread.”

“Those will do, but my favorite are Zimtsterne, they are cinnamon cookies, almost like American sugar cookies but not quite as sweet. I also like Pfeffernusse, they’re in a similar vein but they have cinnamon, ginger, and pepper in them. Mama makes them both around Christmas and the house smells delicious.” She sighed happily, a smile on her face.

“Bring the recipe with you. I can try to make them, as long as you help me, of course.” Beca smiled at the screen.

“I will do that. Mama will be glad that someone in the family besides her can bake. She’s always complaining. Then I just make her dinner and she quiets down.” She laughed.

“You’ll miss her, won’t you?” Beca asked, leaning forward on the counter.

“I will, I’ll miss all of my family. But visits are possible and there is always Skype and texting. You have to move away from home at some point, ja?”

Beca looked around her own apartment on the other side of the country from her father and her friends. “Ja, you do.”

“Now little mouse, you said something about making cookies. I’m curious as to how these pinwheels are put together.”

Beca laughed. “Ok, hold on, I’ve got to set everything up first. Once the dough gets warm it’s a fucking bitch to get them to cooperate.”

She carried her laptop over to the island and put a tea towel over the keyboard. That should keep the worst of the mess from it. Mina watched all her preparations from the screen with an amused look on her face.

“I see you’re wearing your apron.” She smirked.

“It’s an apron, dude. Do you see how much flour I’m using? I’d look like the damn abominable snow man if I didn’t have an apron on.” Her face softened an instant later. “Also, this really great girl bought it for me because she calls me her little mouse and she thought it was so damn hilarious. And I was missing her today so it seemed appropriate.”

“This girl you speak of has an excellent sense of humor.”

“Uh huh.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, gorgeous, you’ll get your own ridiculous apron, I just haven’t found a good enough one yet.”

“I look forward to it.” Mina laughed.

Beca sprinkled flour on the counter as she laid out the rolling pin and baking sheets. “This isn’t going to become a thing is it? Where we buy each other really ridiculous aprons, because I can see it becoming a thing and we really only need an apron each. Though if we only had one then you’d have to wear the mouse one and wouldn’t that be ironic?”

“Nein, mouse, that one is yours and yours alone.”

Beca shook her head. “Fine. Be right back.” She slipped off and grabbed the bowls of dough and set them out beside her rig. She scooped the chocolate dough out and plopped it in the middle of the counter, rubbing flour all over it so it wasn’t sticky anymore. She picked up the rolling pin and started to roll it out.

“Paying attention?”

“Ah yes, it’s riveting.”

Beca looked at her. “You’re the one who wanted to watch. Would you like me to narrate it like some sort of bad cooking show, because I totally can and then you might be in pain from the ridiculousness and it’ll be all your fault.”

Mina snorted. “I would like to see that.”

“Oh, ok, it’s on then.” Beca tightened her throat muscles so the next words out of her mouth were ridiculously high and nasally. “And so we need to roll out the dough to about a fourth of an inch thick. Too thin and it’ll break just like a basket of farm fresh eggs that you obviously used in such a high class application, too thick and it won’t wrap properly and we all know about those problems, don’t we ladies.” She winked ridiculously as she finished rolling out the first layer of dough.

Mina’s face was amused, but not quite where Beca wanted it just yet.

“Now we just do the same thing to the next piece of dough. Don’t forget to set the first one to the side until you need it. It doesn’t need any more of a beating than it’s already had. Time to let that pony rest. Now if they don’t match up in size when you roll them out, that’s ok. Just make sure they match as good as you can get them and we’ll trim off any of the extra. If only losing weight was that easy, am I right?”

Mina was starting to laugh silently, but Beca wasn’t going to stop until she was fully out right laughing out loud. Might as well get to hear Mina’s beautiful laugh for all this ridiculousness.

“Now, we’re going to just brush it right down with some butter to make sure the layers stick together. Not your ordinary use for butter, but we aren’t exactly massaging a butter ball right now if you know what I mean.” She waggled her eyebrows.

At that Mina finally burst out laughing. Beca smiled smugly and started to layer the two pieces on top of each other while Mina laughed her filled. She trimmed off the excess and started to eat the dough pieces before Mina finally sat up, clutching her stomach with tears in her eyes for the second time in their conversation.

“Little mouse, that was…I don’t even have words for how silly it was. Where in the world? Do cooking show hosts actually sound like that in the US?”

“Eh, not that bad, but some of them almost do. It’s like housewife porn or something.”

“I thought that was Fifty Shades of Gray.”

“Ugh, don’t even mention that book to me. It’s so fucking horrible that I can’t even. I just can’t, Mina. You don’t understand.”

Mina laughed again. “I do understand. I read about five pages before I had to put it down. Even translated into German it is horrible, I can’t imagine what it is like in English.”

“I don’t know. Look it up. It’s just…there are so many problems other than the writing that it just needs to be burned. All copies of it. Everywhere.”

“Fahrenheit 451, mouse?” Mina arched an eyebrow.

“No, I didn’t say all books ever, just that one and all its copies.”

“Small steps toward dystopia are still steps.”

Beca looked at Mina, unamused. “You know what I mean.”

“And if I do?”

Beca grumbled for a few seconds and started to roll up the cookies now that the layers were stuck together. “I would tickle you so hard right now if you were with me. So hard.”

“There would be consequences to that.”

Beca started to exaggeratedly shake. “Oh no, I’m so scared, whatever shall I do? The big mean Kommissar is going to get me. From six thousand miles away. When she says that teleportation isn’t possible.”

“Fine, fine, but if I was there, there would be. You cannot run from me, mouse, your legs are too short.”

“Yeah, well, smaller people are more agile and quicker. I do run every day, you know. I’m fast!”

Mina chuckled. “Oh, we’ll see then, when I get there, won’t we?”

“You’re on.”

She started to slice cookies off the roll and placing them on the baking sheets. Beca bit her lip. In ten minutes she was going to have cookies. She looked at just how many were coming off the little cookie log. She was going to have cookies for the next week. Whoops, she was going to have to spend a little more time at the gym because she was totally going to eat all these cookies with a fuck ton of milk and she wasn’t going to feel guilty about it. Besides if she was actually going to outrun Mina, she was going to have to run more anyway. Why the hell had she gotten herself into that bet again? Oh right because she was an idiot when it came to Mina.

She finally finished slicing the cookies and popped the first two pans into the oven with a timer set to five minutes so she could rotate the pans. “So what are you doing today?”

“Ich weiß nicht.” 

Beca thought for a minute, pulling words from her brain slowly and forming them into what she hoped was a comprehensible sentence. “Wirst du mit deinen Eltern Zeit verbringen?” 

“Wahrscheinlich schon, aber Pieter will vielleicht etwas unternehmen. Er will diesen neuen Film sehen und er ist überzeugt, dass ich ihn auch mögen werde.” 

“I think I got that. It’s totally a chick flick isn’t it, that he wants to see and he’s dragging you along so he doesn’t look bad.”

“Nein, it’s Mad Max? I don’t know. I haven’t heard much about it.” She shrugged.

Beca turned away from the screen, cleaning the counter as she smiled. “Oh, ok, I’ve heard of it, but I haven’t seen it. It sounds like a cool action movie, though. You should like it.”

Oh she bet Mina would love it, but she wasn’t going to spoil the fact that it was everything a woman could want in an action movie and more. She couldn’t wait for Mina to come back and gush about it tomorrow morning.

“Ja, I suppose. Action is more of Pieter’s things, though I do not mind an action movie now and again.”

“And tell me, what do you prefer in a movie? I would totally peg the Kommissar as the action movie type of girl.”

“Kommissar would be, Mina, however, enjoys dramas, the occasional comedy if well written, and a thriller every now and again.”

“No horror?”

Mina’s face scrunched. “Why ever would I want to watch those?”

“Um, because they’re hilarious?”

Mina rolled her eyes. “No they are not. They are horrible, stereotype filled movies that I could rather do without in my life.”

Beca leaned forward with a smirk. “Uh huh, you say that, but I bet you’re just a big scaredy cat. Big mean Kommissar can’t handle a wimpy little horror movie, whatever will the world think?”

Mina glared at her. “Or, little mouse, it’s just as I have said.”

“Fine, but I’m not going to believe you until you sit through at least one horror movie with me.”

Mina heaved a sigh like the entire weight of the world was on her. “Jesus christus, kleine Maus, eine hartnäckige einer bist du.” 

“What was that? What am I?”

Mina smirked. “Oh, that would be too easy. You have to figure it out on your own. That’s half of learning.”

Beca glared. “Yes, let me just pull out my dictionary for a word that I have no idea how to spell and only heard once. It’ll go so well.”

“I can say it again, if you wish.”

“I wish you would just tell me the translation of what you said.”

“No, no, the options are repeating or nothing at all.”

Beca huffed just as the timer for the first five minutes went off. “Hold on, but we’re not done talking about this.”

She slipped out of view, rotated the cookies quickly, and then stepped back. The kitchen was starting to smell absolutely delicious and she was starting to get more than a little excited now that most of the haze of missing Mina had passed. Cookies. Yes.

“Ok, yeah, please just tell me.” She put on her best puppy dog eyes and leaned forward. “Pretty please?” She was sure that she probably wasn’t doing this right. Being ridiculous and over the top about flirting had never been her thing, but spelling in German was going to be the death of her. She could only spell in English because there was autocorrect and she’d been speaking it her whole life and had all of elementary school to drill it into her head.

Mina tilted her head, considering. “Perhaps. But first promise me something?”

“Um, ok?” What in the world could she promise Mina from half a world away? She was about to find out, she guessed.

A link appeared in the chat section of Skype. “Pick something from there and send me what you want.”

Beca squinted and reached forward, clicking on the link. She squeaked as the screen loaded and she was taken to a sex toy site.

“And the little mouse sounds like a mouse.”

“You meant to send me a link to a sex toy site, right?” Beca felt herself blushing even though she knew it was ridiculous. She had a vibrator in her sock drawer like everyone else. Not that she hadn’t been slightly mortified the entire time she walked around the story trying to decide what she wanted and then completely mortified when she’d handed the box to the middle aged guy at the checkout, but she had done it and hadn’t regretted it after she’d gotten over the embarrassment.

“Of course. Pick something that we can use together.” A sexy smirk made its way onto Mina’s face. “Perhaps for the first night I am in America, start my time off with a bang, ja?”

Beca swallowed hard, switching back to the page. “Ja,” she said quietly, mind already gone imagining some of the things they could get up to with some of the things on her screen. She was so involved she almost missed the second cookie alarm. She shook herself and grabbed out the pans, putting the last two in and setting the timer before she carefully scooped up the still hot, but set cookies and put them on cooling racks. She grabbed a glass of milk and started at the rack, deciding which one would be first.

“You have an awfully concentrated look on your face.”

“Picking out the first cookie is an art form.”

“Uh huh,” Mina said skeptically. Beca wasn’t even looking but she could picture the look on her face, both eyebrows raised, mouth cocked slightly to the side and eyes slightly squinted.

“What, I want the best one first?” Beca shrugged and finally picked out the one she wanted. She took a bite of the still warm cookie and sighed. Perfect.

“They’re all cookies that you just made from the same batch. How is one so much different from the other?”

“Well, one could be a little more cooked than the other, and be crunchier, and I’m looking for a softer cookie, and then they’re slightly different sizes because you can’t cut them all the same size unless you’re a robot. So, you combine everything together and of course there’s always one cookie that will be the best cookie out of all of them.”

Mina shook her head. “If you say so mouse.”

Beca took a drink of the milk and licked her lips. “Ok, so I’ll pick something out. Now will you tell me what you said?”

Mina heaved a sigh. “Tenacious.”

“You like that about me, and we both know it.”

“I do. But I said Jesus Christ, little mouse, you are a stubborn one. Are you satisfied now.”

Beca frowned but nodded. “You like that about me too.”

“Yes, but sometimes, liebling.”

“I can say the same for you. ‘Oh no, mouse, that wouldn’t be fun. You have to learn,’” she mocked, putting on a ridiculously deep voice to imitate Mina.

“I do not sound like that.”

Beca laughed. “That’s sort of the point, engel.”

“Whatever you say.”

She took another bite of her cookie and just stared at Mina. “Yeah, well, you’re an idiot. But you’re my idiot. So it’s cool.”

Mina hummed. “If I’m the idiot what does that make you? After all I am not the one who cannot come up with a real insult to save their life.”

“Hey! That’s only because you’re like stupidly hot and it makes me stupid. It’s not my fault your DNA was crafted by the gods and blessed several times over.”

“I suppose not, but you can control how you react.”

Beca rolled her eyes and hit the timer right before it was about to go off. “No, no I cannot. Have you seen yourself? Like seriously.” She rotated the pans and stepped back on screen.

“I quite regularly see myself. There are these things called mirrors. Wonderful inventions,” Mina deadpanned.

“Har de har, you’re hilarious. You know exactly what I mean.” Beca grabbed another cookie at random and started to munch on it. Not as warm, but still just as good really. She sighed and leaned forward onto the counter.

“I do.” Mina smiled. “Thank you, little mouse, but I still say you are the beautiful one. I am aware that I am attractive, but you are much better.”

“Well, thanks, but isn’t this an area that we agree to disagree on? Or are we going to be one of those couples that does the ‘no you are,’ ‘nuh uh, you are’ sort of thing?” Beca cocked an eyebrow.

“No I believe this is one of those places we have prior agreement on.”

“Good, glad we covered that.” Beca yawned. She didn’t want to stop talking to Mina, but she felt sleep dragging at her like a lead weight. She glanced at the clock. It was almost two in the morning now. But she didn’t have anywhere to be in the morning and right now she was standing up so she wasn’t really in danger of falling asleep or anything. Though she could probably find a way. Mina would totally flip a shit if Beca just fell over sideways or something, but she would take that chance.

The timer went off for the final time and Beca pulled the cookies out. “I can’t wait to bake for you, honestly. The apartment smells so fucking good right now,” she said as she put the cookies on the cooling rack. She looked up to see Mina smiling.

“I am excited as well. Those cookies look good, mouse.” Her stomach growled loud enough that Beca actually heard it. Mina blushed faintly, but showed no other signs of embarrassment.

“Hungry much?”

“A bit. Dinner was quite a while ago and there was a small rodent that I had to call right as I got up.” She smiled.

“Small rodent sounds so much worse that little mouse. I like that a lot better.”

“Ah, so you like it?”

“Only from you. Everyone else I just sort of sit through them giving me nicknames because it’s easier than protesting and usually if you say something they just stick even harder, but you…yeah I like being your little mouse, you giant goddess.” Her face scrunched again. “Though I could seriously go without Pieter calling me little troll. Where the eff did that even come from? Troll was not ever in the line of things you were talking about. I don’t understand where he pulled that one.” She shook her head and threw up her hands.

“That, as with many things, Pieter pulled out of his ass.” She laughed fondly. “Also, it had the desired effect if you still think about it and are annoyed months later. We were trying to get into your head, liebling. You were exceptionally fun to tease, especially after you started to compliment me.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She huffed and stuffed another cookie in her face. They were cool enough now that she could bag them. She should probably do that. She yawned again and set out for the box of ziplocs.

“And look who’s speaking loser now.” She popped up long enough to stick out her tongue and then went back to searching for bags. She swore they were in the cabinet by the fridge, but apparently she had moved them since then like an idiot. Jesus, when was she going to learn to just put back things where she found them?

“Oh, I don’t think I’m speaking loser at all. After all, I did get you out of the deal, didn’t I?”

She popped back on screen again. “Oh stop, you’re being so cheesy.” But she still couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

“To reiterate our earlier point, you like it.”

“Maybe. I’m not admitting to anything, even under threat of torture.”

“Hmm, it is a shame that you aren’t ticklish. Tickle torture is quite effective, I’ve found.”

“Of course you would know that. That’s a bit creepy if you take it out of context. Which since I have no context is totally what I’m doing right now.”

Mina laughed. “I did have friends in high school and college, mouse. Tickling them when they wouldn’t tell me something I wanted to know was a painless way of getting what I wanted. Of course then they would turn the tables later, but I suppose turnabout is fair play in this instance.”

“Tickle fights with your besties. Sounds like a porno.”

The corners of Mina’s mouth twitched into a smirk that looked like the cat who caught the canary. “Perhaps sometimes it was.”

A bit of jealousy sparked through Beca but then died. Mina was with her now and that was what mattered. She couldn’t exactly say anything about ever having past relationships, now could she?

“Aren’t you just stereotypical?”

“Yes, well, stereotypes do have some foundations. I believe there is one that we rather embody.”

“Oh?” Beca prayed that she didn’t say U-haul. She was beyond over hearing that. They totally weren’t U-hauling it. Ok, maybe they sort of were, but whatever. That didn’t mean she wanted to hear it.

“The blonde and brunette lesbian couple.”

Beca sighed out her relief. That one she could handle. “Ah yeah, I guess we do. Though I think you could dye your hair and still look fucking fabulous. I’m not exactly sure the same thing could be said about me.” She went back to looking for bags.

“I think you would look wonderful no matter what you do, little mouse.”

“You have to say that, you’re my girlfriend.”

“What does that have to do with it? I think we are both well aware that if I didn’t want to be honest I wouldn’t be. Kommissar isn’t one to spare people’s feelings.”

Beca made a triumphant noise as she finally found the bags under the sink. She had no idea when she’d put them there, but whatever. She walked back over to the cooling racks and started to scoop cookies in.

“Fair enough.” She yawned widely and flinched as her jaw cracked. “Son of a bitch that hurt.” She zipped up the bag of cookies and started to clean up the last few things.

“What hurt?” Mina asked immediately, concerned.

“Nothing, my jaw just cracked while yawning, no biggie.” She would have to go to bed soon. She was exhausted, but she didn’t want to stop talking just yet.

“Tired, liebling?”

Beca finally stepped back on screen, everything clean and put away. She scooped up her laptop and started to walk towards her room.

“Yup, but it’s sort of two in the morning after I got up at nine and worked all day.” She shrugged. “It’s to be expected.”

“Then sleep, little mouse.”

Beca smiled a small smile. “I’m working on that.” She turned the computer and showed Mina that she was walking down the hall.

“Good, we can always talk in the morning.”

“Was planning on that too.” She set the laptop on the bed when she walked into the room and started to change into her pjs.

Mina hummed, eyes raking down Beca’s form. Beca rolled her eyes. “Like what you see, horn dog?”

Mina laughed. “I think you are well aware that I like what I see.” She licked her lips. “Or do I need to demonstrate.

A zing of heat shot through Beca, but her body was just too damn tired to do much about it. “Tomorrow, maybe?”

“That can definitely be arranged.” Mina’s smile was predatory and her eyes were alight with thoughts of what she was going to do to Beca. Beca took one look at her and swallowed hard. Good god she’d just given her the entire day to think of ways to slowly kill her sanity. What in the world was she thinking?

“Lord, you’re going to torture me tomorrow, aren’t you?” Beca pushed the laptop over and crawled into bed. Her eyes wanted to close immediately but she managed to keep them open for now.

“Of course, what would be the fun if I didn’t?” Mina arched an eyebrow.

“Of course,” Beca deadpanned. “Stay on the line with me until I fall asleep?”

“Already ahead of you, liebling.”

“Awesome.” She yawned again and settled into a more comfortable position. “I love you.”

“Ich liebe dich auch. Sleep well.”

“Thanks, have a good day doing whatever you end up doing,” Beca’s voice was already deepening, sleep coming over her quickly. She was even more tired than she thought.

“Danke. I’ll tell you about it when you wake.”

“Good,” she mumbled.

She heard Mina laugh quietly and then she was asleep a second later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> German Translations:  
> Ich weiß nicht.-I don’t know.  
> Wirst du mit deinen Eltern Zeit verbringen?-Are you going to spend time with your Mom and Dad?  
> Wahrscheinlich schon, aber Pieter will vielleicht etwas unternehmen. Er will diesen neuen Film sehen und er ist überzeugt, dass ich ihn auch mögen werde.-probably, though Pieter might want to do something. There's some movie out that he wants to see and he's convinced I will like it.  
> Jesus christus, kleine Maus, eine hartnäckige einer bist du.-Jesus Christ, kleine maus, you are a stubborn one


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a side note, the textbooks mentioned in this chapter are legit and the lines Beca reads from one of them are actually from that book. I don't own them and I mean no infringment by using them here. I just can't write like a textbook if I tried. But it actually seemed interesting and was readable, at least for me as a chem major, so if stuff like that interests you, you should go take a look.

Beca was freaking out. Literally freaking the fuck out, running around her apartment like she was a chicken with her head cut off, freaking out. Mina was flying in tomorrow morning. Mina was actually going to be in the states. They were going to physically see each other for the first time in months. They were actually going to live together. Mina was going to start school and she was going to continue on with work and they would do it all together because Mina was actually going to be _here_.

She didn’t know what to do with herself. She had probably cleaned the apartment from top to bottom like four times already in the last week, but she was considering doing it again because oh my god what if Mina thought she was some sort of slob and didn’t want to live with her anymore. She would probably die just a little bit. Ok that was completely ridiculous and over dramatic, but fuck it. Right now she didn’t care. She was freaking out worse than Chloe had before Worlds and that was fucking saying something. World War three could probably start and she’d be less worried about that than Mina actually being there tomorrow.

Her phone buzzed and Beca was on it in a second. Mina’s name was lit up on screen. She took a deep breath and opened the message.

“Finally made it through security. They do not like one way tickets. I have never had such a horrible time getting through security.”

Beca scrunched her face. “Yeah, probably doesn’t help that you’re flying into America. We’re sort of assholes about the whole airport security thing.”

“Yes, I am very well aware. Finding my gate and I’ll have about ten minutes to sit before they start boarding. To believe I left with more than enough time to grab breakfast once I was past the gate. Let’s hope Starbucks does not have a long line.”

Beca got more than a little feeling that Mina was a bit fed up already, but she still had a stop in France to get through before she was on the nonstop flight to LA. She would totally hug her if she could, but all she could do right now was freak the fuck out and nothing else.

“I love you. I can’t wait until you’re here. And I’m sending good vibes your way for the whole Starbucks thing.”

“Thank you, liebling, ich liebe dich auch.”

Beca’s phone went silent for another few minutes, which she totally didn’t spend dusting the already immaculate knickknacks on her shelves or anything. Nope not at all.

“Short line at Starbucks, but then again it is rather early. Double shot to get me through to Paris and a muffin.”

“Banana nut or blueberry?”

“Blueberry of course.”

Beca smiled at her phone. “A woman after my own heart.”

“I thought I made that abundantly clear around three months ago.”

“It’s an expression, engel. Blueberry muffins are the best sort of muffins.”

“What about chocolate chip?”

“Depends on my mood. But sometimes they’re hard to find. Everyone always has blueberry.” Beca looked around her apartment again. No their apartment. She tapped her phone against her lips. She had waited for three months, but this last sixteen hours was going to kill her, she was certain, whether that be of a heart attack from running around or anticipation. The fact was she that she was probably going to do something ridiculous.

She walked back into their bedroom and double checked that half the closet was ready for Mina to move her stuff in and half the drawers were empty too. Of course they were. She’d never actually put stuff in those drawers and only put stuff on the other side of the closet when she was in a hurry and couldn’t be bothered to organize it at the moment on her side. She had planned from the very beginning that she would be sharing with Mina soon enough.

“Is it bad that I feel like that old poem about infinity in an hour is totally accurate?” Beca sent Mina before she could reply to the last text about muffins.

“No, mouse, I feel the same way right now. The hour layover in Paris is going to kill me. I could be on a nonstop flight, but of course none were offered when I needed them.”

“I’ve never been to Paris. Doesn’t sound like the worst place for a layover.”

“You say that, but you’ve never been to Charles De Gaulle airport. An hour for a layover is going to be pushing it.”

“Then you should use a bit of that eternity in an hour mumbo jumbo.”

“Mumbo jumbo? Are those even words?”

“They are, basically it’s a gibberish expression that’s come to mean magic or nonsense depending on the situation.”

“Americans.”

“Hey! You don’t know it was us. It could have totally been the British.”

“Aha, no I don’t think so.”

Another message came before Beca could reply. “Boarding right now, brb.”

Beca sighed and sat down on the bed. She wasn’t going to be able to sleep tonight, she could already feel it. She felt like a kid right before they went to Disney World. Actually Mina coming home might be better than a trip to Disney World. She hummed. Disney Land wasn’t that far from them, was it? It was somewhere in California. Maybe she could take Mina there on a date. That would be fun. She would totally spin the tea cups as fast as she could until they were both too dizzy to function. It would be great. Almost like a reenactment of their first real date, except without the Danish food or probably the German food, though Beca really had no idea what sort of restaurants a place like Disney had. Probably everything. She was sure they could figure something out.

She got up again, unable to stay still. Beca walked to the kitchen again, checking the travel information for Mina for the thousandth time. She was getting in at eight in the morning tomorrow. LAX was like thirty minutes from their apartment with traffic. She was probably going to leave at six A.M. because she wasn’t going to be able to help herself. She could feel it coming now. She rubbed her hands over her face and groaned. How the hell had she gotten like this again? She had been the lone wolf. Now she was like a puppy that followed it’s master everywhere.

“Ok, in my seat. First class really is the only way to fly.”

“Fucking insane that you paid that much money.”

“My parents said it was a treat for going to such a prestigious school.”

“They said that about the laptop they got you too.”

“They are loving, giving parents and I love them greatly. Besides, they didn’t have to pay for any of my undergrad and they won’t have to pay for my Ph.D. either. I think this is their way of helping out and feeling useful. When I fly back to visit I will be flying coach like everyone else, mouse. :p”

“Can your parent adopt me then?”

“Ja, they can, I believe that would be called your in-laws.”

Beca’s heart stopped for just a second. In-laws. That meant marriage. Holy shit. Marrying Mina would be…she couldn’t even think about it because it would be completely wonderful and she couldn’t think about it because they had been together for a total of a little over three months and thinking about marriage right now would be a little dumb. She took a deep breath and shook herself before replying.

“In-laws aren’t supposed to like their daughter-in-law. It’s like written in stone somewhere.”

“They will love you because I love you. Besides, my father will want to talk shop with you about music. There is something in common there.”

“True, but composer and producer are two different things.”

“I think there’s enough in common that you can make it work. You are a smart mouse.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “You know calling me a smart mouse doesn’t make me sound smart at all. Mice aren’t exactly bright.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Maybe :P”

“Boarding on international flights takes forever.”

“Shouldn’t you be used to this by now? Didn’t DSM travel all over the world to be ridiculously impressive German robot a cappella singers?”

“We traveled mostly over Europe. It would be like flying to another state for you. We did go elsewhere, but between all of my responsibilities it seemed as if it took less time.”

“I get that. Doesn’t first class board first, so it’s even worse?”

“Ja, it does. I want it to be over but unfortunately Airbus A380s hold over five hundred passengers. I fear we will be here quite a while.”

“Why do you know the capacity of the plane you’re on?”

“Google does exist in Germany, mouse.”

“Smartass. You totally just looked that up to sound smarter.” Beca stuck out her tongue at her phone.

“Or perhaps, mouse, I was curious. I am a scientist. It is my nature.”

“Why can’t it be both, exactly?”

“Because I say so.”

Beca rolled her eyes at that. “Uh huh.”

“Did you know that they also have a range of 8300 nautical miles?”

“Now you’re just showing off for the hell of it.”

“And your point?”

“You’re a complete and utter nerd.”

“Oh, little mouse, you have seen nothing yet. I can’t wait for your eyes to glaze over when I start talking about complex chemical reactions.”

“Hey! I could know what you’re talking about, or at least get the general gist of it.” Beca walked over to her bookshelf that she’d also dusted about five million times. She was sure she’d at least kept her intro chem book from college. Or had she? She hadn’t exactly liked the class and she tended to get rid of anything that pertained to it, though she couldn’t imagine that damn brick of a thing had been worth much. Stupid college textbooks and their ridiculous sell back rates.

She scanned the titles of the textbooks that she still had, music theory, production techniques, a few books in the same vein as those two but more specific to certain topics within the broader categories, a couple of thick lit textbooks she’d nicked off her Dad so she could read at her leisure, but nothing science looking. Well. She could read off the internet if she needed to.

“Liebling, there are people who are in very similar fields as to what I’m going into that won’t know all about what I’m doing. Science is very specific to your field. People in chemistry and biology will get the general gist of what I’m doing but not the specifics, same for other types of science. Once you get to the level I’m at it’s rather complicated. It’s not a slight against you or your intelligence, it’s just how it is. If you would really like I can break it down for you, but most of the time I’ll just be talking out loud and ranting. You don’t have to get it, you just have to be there and listen and that’s all I want.”

“But you’ll understand everything I say about music, why shouldn’t I understand what you’re doing?” Beca pouted just the slightest bit.

“I’m sure there will be things about production that I’ll have no idea about, but I will get the music theory behind what you’re doing, yes. But if you really do want to understand, I can take you through the research of the professor I’m assigned under. What I will be doing will be in the same vein, though not the exact same, obviously.”

“Ok.” She was totally going to regret this later because her brain wasn’t geared towards science at all, but damn it she was determined. And maybe she didn’t want to seem dumb around Mina, but whatever, that wasn’t the point here. She was just trying to be supportive in her own way, that was all.

“I didn’t imagine I’d be spending the first few days going over chemical theory with you, but as long as it’s with you it does not matter.”

“Oh, speaking of school like things, I got the last of your textbooks today.”

“Ah, gut.”

“Do all chemical textbooks weigh fifteen tons each or is that just for the classes you’re taking right now?” Beca eyed the boxes sitting by her bookshelf. She would put them in the room they’d designated at Mina’s little study, but there wasn’t really much in there at the moment for obvious reasons and Beca had no idea where Mina would actually want the books.

“Mmm, it’s basically all of them. Or at least in my experience. Though my thermodynamics textbook wasn’t. It was the rare exception.”

“Thermodynamics. That just doesn’t sound fun.”

“I can’t say it’s my favorite branch of chemistry, but it has its uses.”

“That’s a ridiculously diplomatic answer. You are allowed to hate it.”

“Yes, but it has applications with what I’m doing. All science overlaps in some way or another. If thermodynamic considerations aren’t on my side I could have something that could may well work in theory but won’t work in practice.”

“Uh, yeah, you’re probably going to have to start way back at basic chem with this explanation you’re gonna give me. Because I remember something about entropy…and there was another e one, but that’s about it.”

“That can be arranged. I will be a TA for gen chem this semester. It will be good practice.”

“Glad I’m your Guinea pig.” Beca scrunched her face.

“No, you’re my lab mouse, remember.”

“It’s lab rat. :p”

“Yes, but you are my little mouse so I changed the expression. I’m not unfamiliar with all American idioms.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll accept it, but only because you’re literally an angel.”

“I’m glad for your gracious consideration, mouse.”

Another text came a second later. “But I believe they’re finally getting ready to taxi. I’ll text you when I get to France, ok?”

“Ok, have a nice flight, beautiful.”

Beca looked down at her phone and sighed. A whole two hours with nothing to do with herself other than clean or worry herself into a coma. Ugh, she was going to self-destruct before all this was over. If she saw one more cleaning sponge she probably was going to scream loud enough to have the cops called on her, but she also couldn’t help it because she was a complete idiot.

She looked over at the boxes full of Mina’s books again. It couldn’t be that hard, could it? Or if it was, at least then her brain would be doing something else. Fuck it.

She walked over and opened the box and actually looked at the books this time instead of just glancing at them and confirming that it was indeed Mina’s textbooks. She pulled out the first one. “Nanomaterials in Tissue Engineering” yeah, that sounded way beyond her level at the moment. She pulled out the next one. “Chemical Biophysics” right that sounded just as bad. What the fuck was biophysics, anyway? She pulled out the last one, “Introduction to Cell Mechanics and Mechanobiology” well at least that one had introduction in the title. She cracked the book open and turned to the first chapter.

The print was fucking tiny and the pictures were for some god unknown reason only in black and green ink. What the hell was even with college textbooks? It’d had been four years and she hadn’t figured it out.

She started to read. “Biological cells are the smallest and most basic units of life.” Ok, all right, she totally understood the first sentence she could do this.

“The field of cell biology, which seeks to elucidate cell function through better understand of physiological processes, cellular structure and the interaction of cells with the extracellular environment has become the primary basic science for better understanding of human disease in biomedical research.” She had to read that one twice to get it for sure, but so far so good.

She got through a page and a half before she just had to stop and stare at the page for a good long second. It looked like word salad. She didn’t even think that half of these words were actually words. They had to be making them up. “In coronary artery disease, changes in the temporal and spatial patterns of fluid shear stress on endothelial cells are linked to the formation atherosclerotic plaques.” There was something about heart disease in there, she got that, and plaque was always what they were going on about in those medicine commercials as clogging arteries, but the rest, yeah she didn’t understand a bit other than something wasn’t right in Kansas and it was causing changes to fuck things up.

Beca took a deep breath. But it was one sentence. She was sure that there were grad students that  were going to read this book that wouldn’t understand a few sentences. She could google things later if she really needed to, but for now she was only reading for something to occupy her time and to understand what Mina was doing, she wasn’t reading thigns that she was going to be tested on. She was never going to have to do that again, thank god.

She continued on, face scrunched in concentration. She got about ten pages in before there were inequalities and math concepts and she was lost as fuck. What she could understand was interesting, but her head hurt like a son of a bitch from concentrating so hard. She shut the book and looked up. An hour and a half had passed and she’d only read ten pages. She groaned. Really, it’d taken her that long to read that little? Fuck that it was science writing, that was still a bit pathetic. She flipped through the pages. Well, she had gotten over halfway through the chapter at least before she’d completely just gone off the edge of understanding.

Beca shut the book and stood up, stretching. Now she needed some Motrin for her headache and she had the munchies. Reading in school had always made her get hungry for whatever reason. She shrugged. She had popcorn, that seemed like a decent snack. She grabbed the meds she wanted, threw the popcorn in the microwave and watched as the minutes ticked down until Mina landed.

She settled herself on the couch and munched on the popcorn while looking on her phone and not at the textbook she’d put aside. It totally wasn’t mocking her. It was a fucking inanimate object. It couldn’t laugh at her and call her an idiot for not getting through the first chapter. But of course her brain could totally do that. Why the hell was she such a fucking idiot, a stubborn fucking idiot.

Beca shrieked quietly, wiped off her hands from all the popcorn grease, and flipped open the textbook to the page she was on before she’d quit and she started reading again. She was going to get through the last six pages come hell or fucking high water. Mina was going to laugh at her for this, but then she probably would smile at her and kiss her and explain the things that Beca didn’t understand while being proud of her for actually getting that far, so it would be fine in the end.

By the time she actually got through the last six pages, Mina finally texted her. Beca sighed, shut the book and tried not to toss the thing across the room. The thing probably cost more than her fucking life was worth knowing college textbooks. She picked up her phone and smiled at the little mouse emoji that was on her screen.

“Hello to you too, engel. How’s Paris?”

“Currently boarding a bus to take me to a different terminal so I can catch my plane so I can get to you. So I have no idea how Paris is other than crowded at the airport.”

“I’m sure with your sinfully long legs you could just run to the next plane and be fine.”

“You have no idea how big De Gaulle is, do you?”

“Not a clue, though I could google it. I need something to make my brain stop hurting.”

“Why does your head hurt, are you ill?” Another text came a second later. “If you are ill I can take a cab home so you may sleep in.”

“No, I’m not sick, I just sort of read one of your textbooks and it was complicated and made my brain hurt. I needed something to keep me occupied while you were in the air.”

“Which textbook was it?”

“Introduction to Cell Mechanics and Mechanobiology.”

“Oh, how was it, was it actually understandable?”

“I managed to get through the first chapter without actually knowing much about anything and I understood at least half, I think. So. I don’t know what that tells you, but.”

“Ah, good. I was hoping that it would be actually readable. Sometimes science textbooks are horrible for that.”

“How are you doing on getting to your plane?”

“Got off the bus at the terminal I need, now I’m running to the gate.”

“Well, you have long legs. It’ll take you like three strides. Just shout at the little people so you don’t crush them, you giant.”

“Very funny, little mouse.”

“What, you do know French, you could do it.”

“You can’t see it, but I am rolling my eyes.”

“Don’t do that too much or they’ll roll out of your head. They’re too pretty for that to happen. They look like the ocean.”

“Don’t think you’re going to flirt your way out of this.”

“Am I really in trouble?” Beca bit her lip. She hadn’t said anything more than normal, but Mina was in the middle of trying to get on a plane in a foreign country. She was under more stress than normal.

“Of course not, liebling. I am teasing.”

Beca let out a breath. “Doesn’t exactly come across in text message form very well.”

“I’m sorry if I frightened you.”

“Haha, no you didn’t not at all, I mean, I almost had a heart attack for half a second, but it’s chill.”

“You’re being as overdramatic as Pieter. I didn’t think that was possible.”

Beca snorted. “Hey, you can be scary. It’s not my fault. You’re like ten inches taller than me and have enough muscles to crush a car. And you can glare. Really, scarily, well.”

“Yes, I am aware. But you are aware that I would never hurt you, right mouse?”

Beca’s heart melted a little bit at that. “Of course, engel. You’re a big teddy bear on the inside.”

“Perhaps.” Another text a second later vibrated Beca’s phone. “Finally at the gate with ten minutes to spare again. It must be the magical number today.”

“Glad you made it. I think another delay in seeing you might have killed me.”

“I feel the same way,” Mina sent.

Beca sat up and yawned. Physically she was tired, but she definitely wasn’t going to sleep before Mina was in the air, and knowing her brain she wouldn’t be asleep even after that.

“Also I think that if I had any more time to myself the apartment might just disintegrate from all the cleaning I’ve been doing. The atoms would just pack up and leave.”

“I tried very hard to not remark on it, but that’s not how atoms work. And besides that, there’s no need to scrub every surface until it shines, mouse. I am well aware of what the apartment looks like. I have seen it on Skype, or have you forgotten.”

Beca was the one rolling her eyes now. “Yes, I know, you big gay science nerd. I do know that much :p Jokes, take the joke. And while I’m actually aware that I don’t need to clean, my brain says otherwise and I’m a slave to it.”

“Fair enough, at least we won’t have to clean strenuously for a long while then. Though I do stress clean when it is around midterms and finals, I will warn you of that.”

“I did the same thing. Anything productive to avoid the studying that I had to do.”

“Exactly. Boarding once again, brb.”

Beca sat back. What else could she do to blow some more time? Baking was always an answer. She’d eaten the last of the cookies from a couple weeks ago. And having cookies on hand to offer Mina wouldn’t be a bad idea. Who didn’t want chocolate after traveling. And chocolate chip cookies sounded wonderful. Well, she knew what she was doing once Mina got on the plane.

“And back once more. It’s only been a few hours and I’m already very tired,” Mina finally sent after a handful of minutes.

“Did you pack something to help you sleep on the flight?”

“I did, but I’m waiting to take it until we hit altitude.”

“Good, I didn’t want you to be too tired.” If Mina was too tired then their plans would be nixed, which would be understandable, but Beca, really, really wanted to fuck Mina into oblivion as a welcome home. Skype had its functions, but it wasn’t enough in the sex department.

“Oh don’t worry, liebling, I will be plenty rested. After all it is a twelve hour flight.”

“Yes, but you have to tell me how the first class food is, too.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. I will report back to you.”

Beca got up and started to walk around the apartment again. “You have to live the high life for the both of us.”

“I’d rather live in the mile high club.”

Beca coughed, choking on her own spit. Jesus, Mina really was trying to kill her before she’d ever set foot in the states. It would be the perfect alibi, really. No officer I didn’t kill my girlfriend, I couldn’t have, I was on a plane over the Atlantic at the time.

“Jesus, I almost died. Don’t do that to me.”

“What, you don’t want to join the mile high club, little mouse?”

“With you, I’d join any club you fucking wanted me to, but yes definitely that one. Though fitting us both in a bathroom stall on a plane would be interesting at best.”

“;) I’m sure we could manage.”

Beca groaned. Twelve hours was _way_ too long. “Well then, when we go back to Germany to visit your family, I’m sure we can figure something out.”

“You want to meet my family?”

Beca felt that this was a complete shift in tone of the conversation, even if she couldn’t actually hear Mina speaking. “Of course I do. I love you and you love them. Why wouldn’t I want to meet them? Though I make no promises about sticking my foot in my mouth around them. I think we all know I have a tendency to babble.”

“Oh, little mouse, I don’t think you realize just how perfect you are.”

“Um, I’m really far from perfect, but thanks. You’re the perfect one. Why do you think I call you engel?”

“Hmm, I think this might be another place we agree to disagree.”

“Fair enough. Oh, so chocolate chip or another kind of cookie?”

“Chocolate chip is fine, mouse, there’s no need to bake, though. It has to be getting late there. You need your rest for tomorrow because you won’t be getting any once I’m there.”

Beca inhaled sharply. “You. Are. Killing. Me. But I mean it’s not that late. It’s like eight. I’m tired from running around all day cleaning, but I don’t think I’d actually be able to sleep, you know?”

“I understand. I look forward to tasting your cookies this time.”

“Oh, that’s not all you’ll be tasting tomorrow. ;)”

“And you say I am the one killing you.”

“Turnabout, dude, it’s totally fair play.”

“I suppose, but only because I love you.”

Beca smiled down at her phone. “Good. Because I love you too.”

“The doors are closing little mouse. I will text you when I land and I will see you tomorrow. This plane can’t travel fast enough.”

Beca sighed and read the text a few times before she managed to actually do something productive. She walked into the kitchen and started pulling down bowls and ingredients. These would be the best damn chocolate chip cookies she ever made, come hell or high water.

She set to work, watching the minutes until Mina’s plane landed slowly tick down.


	13. Chapter 13

She had gotten some sleep, but only after she’d taken fifty milligrams of Benadryl and ran four miles on the treadmill at the complex’s gym. Beca could feel the tiredness pulling at her limbs, but her brain was wide awake from the time her alarm went off to the time she finally made it to LAX, standing at the entrance to the gates that Mina would be coming out of whenever she finally cleared customs. If she had gotten their hellaciously early, well, no one else had to know that. But she was just too excited to do anything else.

So she’d grabbed a muffin and a coffee at Starbucks and chilled for a while until her phone finally went off, obnoxiously loud in the early morning coffeehouse atmosphere, but she didn’t care. She’d turned it up loud so she didn’t miss Mina’s text and she hadn’t so fuck the grumpy old white men glaring at her over their ridiculous newspapers.

Beca shot out of her seat and walked once more to the gate while opening her messages. “I’m now officially in the US. We’re taxiing in to the gate as I type this.”

“I’m already at the gate. Like if I have to fight some custom agents to get to you, I will.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but you as the kicker of ass still doesn’t work, tiny mouse.”

“You don’t know. I could totally have had karate lessons when I was kid and I could totally know how to kick people’s ass.”

“But did you?”

Beca huffed. “Well, no, but I could have.”

“Then I think I will leave the kicking of ass to others who aren’t so tiny.”

“Five two is a perfectly respectable height. Not everyone can be six feet tall.”

“No, but I do enjoy my height.”

“Not in medieval castles you don’t.”

“Yes, but how often to do I go to castles, mouse?”

“Well, never really now that you’re in the US…”

“Exactly.” Beca could see the smug look that went with that text. “The plane is at the gate. Now to wait for the door to open.”

Beca bounced on her toes and a few people looked at her. She just looked at them, resting bitch face in place and cocked an eyebrow. They looked away a few seconds later and Beca smirked in triumph. They’d be excited to if they had a super hot girlfriend about to come home after three months.

“So if you’re so convinced that I’m tiny what are the odd of you catching me if I run and jump when I see you?”

“Fairly good so long as I’m not holding anything. I do bench press more than you weigh.”

“How do you know how much I weigh?”

“I’m good at estimating. What, you weigh one twenty at most, but you’re probably between one fifteen and one ten.”

“One fifteen, exactly.”

“Hah! I was right.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine, but how much can you bench press?”

“A hundred and fifty, more if it’s not actual sets, but that’s something I do on a regular basis.”

“Jesus, no wonder you have such great arms.”

“DSM had a very regular workout schedule. It had its benefits.”

“I’ve been very up close and personal with those benefits. Yum.”

There was a few minutes of radio silence and Beca figured that Mina was getting off the plane. She was that much closer to seeing her girlfriend. Ugh, this was taking forever now that she was here. She wished the Mina just got off the damn plane and walked out, but of course not. Stupid U.S. customs. Stupid everything. Teleportation should still be a thing no matter if Mina didn’t think it was possible. At one point people didn’t think it was possible but the earth was round, but here they were.

“In line for customs now,” Mina finally sent after five minutes.

“Long line or shot line?” Beca sent back.

“Medium, I believe. It seems to be moving at a fairly good pace.

“God bless America.”

“Funny, little mouse, I never took you to be particularly patriotic.”

“I’m not. Except for right now because things are actually going right for once because I need to see you.”

“I know. Five people from being free.”

“What do German passports even look like?” Beca asked, needing to distract herself from the fact that minutes were still ticking away and Mina still wasn’t right in front of her.

“Much like American passports, but in German and a different color. You will see it soon, mouse.”

“Yeah, I know I just, distraction, ja?”

“Ah, I see. Well, it’s red instead of blue with the German eagle instead of the America one. I never quite understood why your eagle has things in its talons.”

“One side is arrows and the other side is an olive branch. It’s supposed to represent something about America being a peaceful nation but being able to defend itself when necessary. At least I think anyway. Dunno, the founding fathers were big on symbolism.”

“I see. I’m next, liebling.”

Beca let out the most undignified squeal. She looked around afterwards like nothing unusual had happened. Mina was totally ruining her cool bitch reputation. Who was she kidding, that rep had been ruined for a while now.

She started to pace in a small loop, not daring to go very far. She was pretty sure that some of the people around her thought she was a terrorist at this point with how weird she was acting, but she didn’t really give two fucks about them. She didn’t even have a purse or a jacket on. It wasn’t like she had a bomb shoved up her ass or anything. Really, people needed to chill the fuck out.

Which was ironic that she was thinking that, but that wasn’t the point right now.

Beca caught a glimpse of blonde hair on one of her turns. She froze and stood on her tip toes. A second later some old dude moved out of the way just enough that Beca could actually see. Mina. Oh my god it was Mina.

She was moving before she even registered it. She elbowed people out of her way, sprinting for all she was worth towards Mina. Beca saw the instant Mina spotted her. She stopped stood up her suitcase, and opened her arms all in the span of a few seconds, with the biggest smile Beca had ever seen on anyone’s face.

Finally, when Beca was close enough she jumped, launching herself into Mina’s arms. Mina caught her and spun her around in a circle, both of them laughing, both of them crying happy tears. Beca clung on so hard she was sure that Mina was going to have bruises later, but she didn’t care. Mina was actually here, physically here in her arms and she couldn’t give a damn about anything else. She grabbed Mina’s face and kissed her hard.

Mina stopped spinning them, arms locked under Beca’s butt, as she kissed back for a few long seconds before drawing back. “We are in a public place, mouse.”

Beca snorted and buried her head in Mina’s neck. “Cinnamon,” she sighed out, feeling truly at home for the first time in months.

“Yes, and you smell the same as well. Apples, a perfect complement to me.”

“God, I missed hearing your voice in real life. The phone doesn’t do it justice.”

Mina set Beca down gently but didn’t dislodge Beca’s head from its place. “I know. I feel the same way. But I am here now.”

Beca finally pulled back and looked up at her German Goddess. “Welcome home, beautiful.”

Mina cupped Beca’s face, diving in for one short kiss. “It’s very good to finally be home, meine kleine maus.”

Beca grabbed Mina’s suitcase and started forward. “Come on, the apartment calls our name.”

Mina caught up with Beca in half a second. She leaned down and whispered into Beca’s ear. “Are you sure the apartment will be the one shouting names? Because I rather think it will be you shouting my name and vice versa.”

“Killing me! Still. We aren’t out of public yet, damn it,” Beca groaned.

“Ah, but that’s half the fun.” Mina nibbled on Beca’s earlobe quickly before pulling back. “Besides, you can always take your revenge later, ja?”

“Oh you best fucking believe, ja. Three months of pent up teasing and only skype sessions and snapchat pictures to take it out with, yeah no, a storm’s coming for you high and mighty Kommissar.” Beca glared up at Mina with a predatory smile on her face.

Mina’s eyes widened just the slightest bit. “Feisty maus. I look forward to this.”

God, Mina didn’t even know how much Beca looked forward to it too. She could already feel herself getting worked up. By the time they got home she was going to be dripping wet. Her mind was overloaded now with images of what she could do now that Mina was literally right beside her, walking to the car calmly as calm could be.

“Lucky I love you or I would probably just sit and make you watch or something equally torturous.”

“Mmm, there will be time for that, I believe.” Mina licked her lips. And of course Mina would wear bright red lipstick on a fucking red eye. She was just that fucking perfect. Or that fucking insane. Maybe both. Who said she couldn’t be both.

Beca’s brain was clearly shorting out, but it was totally fine. She reached out with her free hand and intertwined her fingers with Mina’s. She sighed. She didn’t think she’d miss something as mundane as holding hands, but she had, and hadn’t realized it until that moment.

“Your hands are still ridiculously soft,” Beca said as they walked out into the oven that LA was in late August.

“And yours are still tiny. Everything is how it should be, mouse.” Mina smiled down at her.

Beca smiled back. “Yeah, everything is.”

Mina slipped her hand from Beca’s only to wrap her arm around Beca’s shoulder. It was a bit awkward to manage tugging the suitcase along, but Beca wasn’t doing anything to end the embrace for the world. She walked a little faster to make sure she could keep up with Mina and snuggled into her side.

They walked back to the car together through the heat, not letting go even though it probably would have been cooler. Beca was glad she had gotten used to the hot temperature in Georgia before she’d come here, otherwise it would probably be torture. Mina, however, had just come from Germany where it was a hell of a lot cooler. She wondered if she would melt.

Except then Beca was looking up and it looked like Mina hadn’t even broken a sweat yet, which was totally unfair because Beca knew she was a little nasty underneath her t-shirt at that exact moment. She rolled her eyes. That’s what she got for getting into a relationship with a literal goddess.

They finally got to the car and loaded up Mina’s stuff. Beca was bouncing on the balls of her feet again as she watched Mina shut the hatchback of her Volkswagen. Mina looked back as she saw the logo and smirked.

“Have an affinity for German things, mouse?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“Maybe.” Beca bit her lip. “Get in the car and we’ll find out, won’t we?”

Mina smirked and walked to the passenger’s side without another word. Beca prayed to every got she knew that the traffic would be on their side this morning or it was going to be a hell of a long drive. She slipped into the front seat and started up the car. A second after she shifted out of reverse Mina’s hand was wrapped around hers, tracing small circles on Beca’s skin with her thumb. Yeah, traffic better damn well be on their side or Beca was totally going to go all she Hulk. She swallowed hard and pulled back out into LA traffic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut this off at a mean place. I am slightly mean, as anyone who read Halfway Through the Woods can attest. But Mina is home, and that thing from the internet makes an appearance next chapter. Things to look forward to, yes?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe the top comment was tease, the other was mean/evil, and someone called me an evil maus. I have leveled up. But now I'm not mean anymore. Here there be spicy times, and really nothing else. Come back next time if you don't enjoy those sort of things for a continuation of the plot.

They arrived home thirty minutes later. Traffic hadn’t been murderous, but Beca still felt every minute ticking by with every touch Mina bestowed upon her. She was more than ready to be home as she tried not to look like an idiot trying to get the keys into the door so they could actually get to it. Of course it wasn’t helping that Mina was standing close enough for her to feel the other woman’s body heat, but that was probably beside the point.

She held in the crow of triumph as the keys slid home and she opened the door to blessed air conditioning. Beca held open the door and gestured to Mina. “Welcome home, engel.”

Mina walked through the door and took in the space around them with a warm smile on her face. She walked the open floor plan, trailing through the kitchen, the dining area, into the living room, stopping to look at a few things, but mostly just wandering around aimlessly.

“It’s different, seeing it in real life,” Mina said, standing by the couch, running her fingers across the second hand fabric like it was gold instead of cotton. “I didn’t get the feeling that it was home, but now that I’m here…I don’t think I could imagine living anywhere else. You did a wonderful job setting everything up, liebling.”

Beca smiled and walked forward, still tugging Mina’s suitcase along as the front door finally shut behind her. “Thanks, but really it was just me shrugging a lot and going ‘looks good enough’ unless we’re talking about the kitchen. That I actually put more thought into, but that’s a conversation for later.” She stood Mina’s suitcase up by the end of the couch and continued forward. “You’re home. With me. Alone. Not in public. And what I really want, more than anything after three months, is to be wrapped up skin to skin with you, unable to tell where one of us begins and the other one ends.”

Mina’s breath hitched. Beca’s hands came to the straps of the backpack Mina wore. She tugged them to the side and caught the bag as it fell. She tossed it gently onto the couch and stepped forward.

“Because the grand tour of the apartment can wait until later, but I cannot. I seem to remember we made plans to spend this entire day in bed. Are you still up for that?” Beca looped her arms around Mina’s neck, dragging her down just a bit, even though she was on her tip toes.

“Where is the bedroom, mouse?” Her pupils blew wider and wider as Beca watched, blue almost over taken by black.

Beca smirked. “That’s what I hoped you’d say.” She lunged forward and kissed Mina hard, hands twisting in golden hair, dragging the hair tie out and flinging it god knows where. They would find it six months from now, or not at all. There was probably a black hole that lost hair ties went into never to return, god knows she’d lost enough of them for that to be true.

Mina’s tongue traced Beca’s lips almost immediately. Beca gasped and Mina wasted no time kissing Beca thoroughly. Beca felt her head starting to spin already. How in the world was it possible that someone could do this to her so quickly. She gripped harder onto Mina’s hair, causing the other woman to groan and kiss her harder. Mina bit at Beca’s lips, soothing the bites with a tongue that tasted of coffee and heat.

Beca felt her legs start to give out. If they were going to make it to the bed they needed to move now before she lost all feeling and just collapsed where she was standing. She pulled back, breathing hard.

“Bedroom,” she panted out.

“Gladly.” Mina scooped her up in strong arms and walked towards the hallway. “Which door.”

“Last one on the left.”

 Mina growled, literally fucking growled. Beca wasn’t sure she’d ever been so fucking turned on by a sound in her life. She gripped on to Mina a little bit harder as Mina’s long legs carried them through the apartment and into her—no their room for the first time. Mina wasted no time walking over to the bed and placing Beca down gently. But then all gentleness was gone as Mina started to rip at Beca’s clothing.

Beca didn’t think she was breathing right. She as probably about to pass out or something. That was be unfortunate. If she was going to pass out she should at least do it after having an orgasm. That was a hell of a lot less embarrassing, though Mina would be smug for the rest of forever.

But then all thoughts were gone from her mind as Mina drug her to the edge of the bed, now bare ass sliding against the cool cotton beneath her. Her mouth latched onto Beca in an instant, licking and sucking at her outer lips. Beca let out a breathy cry. Holy shit, she’d forgotten just how good Mina was with her tongue.

“Mina, oh my god,” she moaned. “You don’t waste any time.”

Mina pulled back for just a second. “Three months is long enough, don’t you think, liebling.” And then she went right back to what she was doing, making Beca lose her mind in a very, very pleasurable way.

Beca felt herself writhing on the bed. She couldn’t control it. She didn’t want to control it. She felt so damn good. The heat was rising inside her and she wondered why she ever thought that those Skype session were worth anything at all compared to this. She reached down and laced her fingers through Mina’s hair again and pulled her closer. She wanted this first time to last forever, but she was too far gone already for that to happen. They could do slow later, but right now she needed Mina’s fingers in her and her mouth sucking hard on her clit and she needed to come so hard she saw stars.

“Mina, please!” She tightened her fingers to the point where it had to hurt, but Mina just moaned into Beca, the vibrations setting off further little arcs of pleasure. She could feel her orgasm coming for her fast. She’d never been that damn easy to get off but then again she’d never went three months without real physical contact before. And it was Mina they were talking about.

Mina didn’t listen to her. She kept playfully licking around the areas that Beca really wanted her, making rather obscene slurping noises that in any other circumstance would turn her way the fuck off, but were only adding to the fire right now.

“Mina for god’s sake fuck me like you mean it!” Beca glared down her body at Mina.

Mina cocked an eyebrow in challenge and then suddenly Beca was full of Mina. She threw her head back into the bed and moaned loudly. Mina quickly set a fast pace, only pausing the slightest moment to let Beca adjust to the feeling. Beca started to whimper as fingers drove into her in steady strokes. Her limbs tingled, her toes curled. She felt a bit like she was flying, or at least floating, dizzy above the bed, distracted by the pleasure coursing through her.

“Scheiße! Fuck. Mina. Mein Gott! I can’t, oh.” Beca couldn’t really control what was coming out of her mouth either, but Mina was laughing and that was just making everything that much better and oh my god she was so close she could practically taste it, the metallic tang of fireworks and the sweet taste of pleasure finally granted.

Mina’s tongue finally made its way to where Beca wanted, making short, hard circles on her clit. Beca’s back arched off the bed and she was coming hard and fast a second later.

“Mina!” she screamed loud enough her throat hurt.

Mina slowed her fingers, but didn’t stop, drawing out Beca’s orgasm for as long as possible. When Beca finally hit the sheets again, Mina pulled out and licked her fingers clean. Beca’s eyes fluttered open, catching her in the middle of the act and she groaned. She had just come spectacularly and yet she was totally ready to go again just off that one visual. If her limbs would cooperate she’d totally go for it, but she had yet to regain most feeling.

“Fuck,” Beca said after swallowing a few times.

“Yes, I believe that’s what we just did.”

Beca rolled her eyes at Mina’s smug look. “You’re horrible. You’re so fucking good, but you’re horrible.”

Mina scooted forward, propping her chin on Beca’s lower abdomen. “Thank you, mouse.”

“I don’t think that was a compliment.” Beca dropped her head back to the bed, unable to hold it up any longer.

“I think your insults are all compliments, at least towards me.”

Well, she was right about that mostly. Maybe eventually she would get out an insult that wasn’t also a compliment, but today wasn’t that day.

She forced herself up onto her elbows and looked down at Mina. She was still completely dressed while Beca was stark naked. Oh, that needed fixed right away.  She reached out and cupped Mina’s face, pulling her gently upward until Mina was hovering over her. She kissed Mina lightly, her lipstick completely gone now, but her lips still so fucking perfect, and covered in Beca’s essence.

Mina pulled back after a second. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the plane set down in Berlin.” She licked her lips for emphasis.

Beca snorted. “I bet you were. You always have liked to use your tongue. Singing is good for that.” She reached out and grabbed the hem of Mina’s shirt and tugged up. Mina sat up enough to help Beca get it off. Once it was on the floor she wasted no time in unhooking Mina’s bra and throwing that elsewhere too. She grabbed at the waistband of her pants. “These too, beautiful. I want an even playing field if you know what I mean.”

Mina smirked at her. “You just want me naked.”

“Yeah well, you just wanted me naked about five minutes ago and look where we are now.”

Mina stood and shucked her pants and shoes before she climbed right back on top of Beca. Beca’s arms circled around Mina’s back, reveling in the smooth skin that she could now touch all of. She drew Mina down on top of her and sighed as Mina obeyed. She tangled their legs together and just stayed like that for a few long moments.

“I’ve been waiting for three months to just hold you like this.” Beca buried her face in Mina’s neck again, feeling the blush rise on her cheeks as she admitted to something even vaguely personal. “I missed feeling your skin on mine more than words could say. Missing someone…it’s never been as hard as it was with you.”

Mina’s hands came up to card through Beca’s hair. “Alles wird gut, liebling, ich bin ja hier.” 

“Verlass mich nie wieder.” Beca felt herself tearing up and she felt like a complete idiot for it, but she couldn’t help it.

“Niemals, nicht für eine so lange Zeit.”

A silent sob wracked Beca’s frame and she felt Mina grip onto her tighter. “G-gut.” She blinked and then the tears were flowing. Beca let herself cry for a few minutes before she took one last shuddering breath and stopped. She pulled back from Mina and swiped at her eyes with big, almost angry movements.

“Sorry, god, that was so stupid, but I just…” She trailed off, frowning, unable to find the words she needed.

Mina turned Beca’s face towards her. “Come now, little mouse, you are allowed to feel things.” She leaned forward and kissed Beca’s forehead.

“But it’s not like you died or anything. And you’re here now. It was stupid.”

“Will it make you feel better to know that there were a few tough nights in the last three months where I cried because I missed you?”

Beca’s face scrunched. “You, cry?”

The beginnings of a smile appeared on Mina’s face. “Contrary to popular belief I am human and not a robot. I do have feelings. Missing someone, especially someone so important, it is a hard feeling to deal with even when you know it will end.”

Beca just stared for a second before huffing and crushing Mina back to her. “Stupid, perfect, German goddess.”

“Tiny, little, flawless, stubborn mouse.” Mina kissed Beca’s neck.

Beca shivered. “You know,” she said slowly, “there’s also something else I’ve been wanting to do for a while. Ever since that package came.” She started to tracing teasingly light circles on Mina’s back.

“Oh?” Mina asked, voice dropping half an octave.

“Mhm, you see, I have this girlfriend and she wanted me to pick something out of a catalogue of sex toys. I, being the good girlfriend that I am, followed her directions. And the package came like a week and a half back and I’ve just been waiting and waiting for her to get here so we could try it out.”

Mina’s breathing had sped up just a bit.

“In fact, I think it would only be fair if she got to try it out first since she paid for it and everything.”

Beca pushed up unexpectedly and rolled them until she was on top of Mina with a feral smirk on her face. “In fact, I may have been planning that all along.” She reached out and opened the night stand drawer. She dug around for just a second before her fingers came in contact with what she wanted and she pulled it out, setting it on the bed beside them. “What do you say to that, engel?”

“Ja, bitte.” She stared up at Beca with pleading eyes.

“I thought you would.” She sat back and looked at Mina, legs spread and chest heaving, looking at her as if she was the secret to understanding the universe. Beca reached out and trailed just the tips of her fingers up Mina’s leg, stopping before she got where Mina wanted her and trailing down the other leg. She watched the goosebumps multiply in her wake, feeling just a bit powerful that she could make someone like Mina feel like this.

“Kliene maus, fucking please.”

Beca chuckled. “So ready to go already? We’ve barely even started. Did fucking me get you going? Because fucking you always gets me going, I have to admit.” She reached for the toy and held it up. “Do you want this? Do you want me to fuck you until you scream yourself hoarse?”

Mina nodded. Beca smiled and crawled up Mina’s body. She leaned down and kissed her gently, light as a butterfly. She kissed her way back to Mina’s ear. “Good, because when I’m done I want you to return the favor. Do you know how many fucking fantasies I’ve had about this thing since you bought it?”

“How many?” Mina asked, voice barely there.

“One every night since I opened the damn package and a few before that while it was still getting here.”

Mina moaned.

“Mhm, I fucked myself thinking about it too, but I don’t think it will be anything compared to how it feels with the both of us.”

“I—Jesus, mouse. Fuck me.” Mina shivered hard under her.

“Gladly.” Beca sat back and slipped on the harness, adjusting it until it was comfortable. She smiled at the feeling of Mina’s eyes on her watching her every move. “Like what you see?” She asked standing up on her knees and inching forward.

“Ja.” Mina asked reaching out to grab onto Beca’s hips. She trailed her fingers lightly over the straps, swallowing hard at the sight of black leather contrasting rather beautifully with Beca’s pale skin.

Beca leaned down on her hands. “Bet you’ll like it even more when I show you I know how to use it,” she whispered in Mina’s ear, licking the shell after she was done speaking.

Mina’s breath hitched. “Maus, bitte.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard you say please so many times in such rapid succession. You’re so desperate for it, desperate for me.”

“Yes,” Mina hissed out, hips canting up, trying to force Beca to touch her, but failing.

“Good.” Beca leaned on one hand, the other one coasting down Mina’s body, slowly, tracing her ribs, circling her belly button, tickling her hip bones, before slipping into Mina’s folds. She let out a long breath, feeling the warm wetness coating her fingers immediately.

“Mein Gott, Mina. You weren’t kidding. So ready for me.” Beca felt the temperature in her own body sky rocketing. How in the world was it possible that someone as beautiful as Mina got this turned on by her? It was such a powerful aphrodisiac.

“Fuck me, stubborn mouse, verdammt!”

“Such a mouth on you when you’re frustrated. I don’t know if I should give you what you want if you act this way.”

Mina tugged her down into a kiss that she felt in the tips of her toes. She was sure the shockwaves could be felt five counties away. She moaned into the kiss as her tongue found its way into Mina’s mouth, stroking and caressing, making Mina writhe beneath her, noises escaping her that weren’t quite moans, caught in the back of her throat, not allowed to make much noise, desperate little sounds.

Beca couldn’t wait any longer. She positioned herself carefully and pushed inside Mina, groaning as their bodies fit together perfectly. Mina wrapped her long legs around Beca’s back and locked her there. Beca smirked into the kiss as she started to thrust, slowly, getting used to the feeling, learning what made Mina made the loudest noises and repeating those actions over and over again. She could feel sweat building on her brow, pooling on her lower back. She didn’t care. Her whole world was wrapped up in Mina’s pleasure, connected to it in a whole new way.

“Beca,” Mina panted out. “Gott, Beca.” She let out a sound that was half a whine, arms coming  up to Beca’s shoulders nails digging in. “Schwerer.”

Harder. Beca’s fist closed on the sheets tightly. God, she was so turned on right now. She sped up her thrusts, putting her whole body into them. Mina shuddered out a breath, face relaxing just a bit as she got what she needed.

“You want it rough, engel?” Beca managed to say, breath coming hard now, muscles burning.

“Ja, bitte.”

Beca didn’t know if she could possibly go any harder at that point, but she forced herself to keep on. She didn’t do all that exercising to wimp out in the middle of a fucking hot session of sex. She shifted just the slightest bit and Mina arched up into her, cursing in German and what sounded like Russian and maybe a third language, Beca wasn’t exactly sure or really paying that much attention. She thrust again and got the same reaction. Mina was being driven absolutely wild and Beca wanted to revel in it.

“Close,” Mina moaned, fingers digging even deeper into Beca’s shoulders.

“You want to come, beautiful?” Beca asked.

“Ja.”

Beca smirked, unfisting one hand from the sheets and finding Mina’s clit. She rubbed gently and Mina practically shrieked. She turned and bit the pillow under her head, muffling herself. A wave of heat flowed through Beca, making her hips stutter for just a second before she was right back at it. Good fucking god.

She continued to rub gently, increasing the pressure by small amounts until Mina’s body was starting to tense under her, drawing tight as a bow before one last hard thrust and one last swipe of fingers had Mina yelling into the pillow and coming hard enough that Beca had to stop moving completely, her inner muscles had such a tight grip on the dildo. She kept her fingers moving though, drawing out the orgasm for her girlfriend for as long as possible.

Mina’s body relaxed finally and Beca pulled out gently. She undid the straps and threw the thing on the other side of the bed and crawled up Mina’s body. Mina hadn’t opened her eyes yet and Beca smiled smugly. Damn right she was that good.

“How was that?” Beca asked, cuddling into Mina’s side and sighing, the sweat already cooling on her skin and making her shiver just a little bit.

“Ich habe gerade nicht die mentale Energie auf Englisch zu antworten, aber es war sehr gut.” 

“I understood most of that.” Beca smirked. “Glad to know I fucked the English right out of you.”

Mina just drug Beca closer and wrapped her arms around her, not saying anything for a long moment. Beca basked in the warmth of her girlfriend. This was the life.

“Where in the world did that even come from, mouse?” Mina’s eyes finally opened and she looked at Beca. “It’s like a switch flips and you just become…feistier than normal.”

Beca looked away and shrugged. “I’m sort of switch.”

Mina scowled, confused. “What?”

“Um, the first time I really heard it used was in relation to BDSM as someone who can be either dominant or submissive, but I just sort of use it in like when I’m being fucked I like someone else being in charge, but when I’m the one fucking someone else, I like to be in charge. No real bondage or anything, just mostly dirty talk and taunting. I can stop if you want.”

“Dear god, no. I enjoy it. It’s just very…surprising at points. In a good way.” She licked her lips and looked away. “And I wouldn’t be adverse to a bit of bondage if you would want to try that.”

Beca groaned at the image of Mina tied to the headboard and at her mercy. “Jesus, maybe, I think it might kill me.”

“Is it too much for the little mouse?” Mina smirked.

“A little bit. You imagine me tied up and begging for it and tell me that you aren’t about to melt into the fucking bed.” Beca blushed.

“Mmm, that is a very hot image.” Mina’s eyes trailed down Beca’s body. “Then again it isn’t a surprise. You are very hot to begin with.”

“Stop it, oh my god, I’m going to combust if you keep giving me those bedroom eyes.”

“Well, we are in the bedroom. Is this not the right place?”

“You’re horrible.”

“I am aware.” Mina leaned forward and kissed Beca lightly. “You did a very good job picking out a toy, mouse. I have a feeling we’ll both enjoy that for a while to _come_.”

Beca moaned at Mina’s emphasis on come. She really needed to come again, still, even though she’d cooled down a bit laying here snuggled up to Mina.

“Yeah, well, all I had to do was imagine what would be the hottest thing to use on you and the decision was made.”

“Mhm, I can see how that would work very well for you.” Mina’s hands were starting to trail over Beca’s body.

Beca’s breathing started to pick up. “Mina,” she moaned.

Mina smirked. “Yes, liebling?” Her fingers found where Beca needed her most, but barely brushed along Beca’s folds.

“God, Jesus, Joseph, Mary mother of God.” Her arms tightened around Mina.

“You are very wet. I’m sure I can fix this. Should I?”

Beca growled. “Yes.”

Mina brought her fingers to her mouth and licked them clean. “Good, I hoped you would say that.” She leaned in to kiss Beca more thoroughly.

“God, I’m so glad you’re home,” Beca said when they pulled apart.

Mina chuckled. “So am I, little mouse.” Her eyes latched onto the strap on still laying on the bed. “Why don’t we see how well you like our new toy, ja?”

Beca’s eyes fluttered closed, feeling Mina’s voice, full of sex and fire, run through her body. “Ja.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> German Translations:   
>  Alles wird gut, liebling, ich bin ja hier.- It will be alright, darling, I'm here now.  
> Verlass mich nie wieder.- never leave me again  
> Niemals, nicht für eine so lange Zeit.- never for that long  
> Ich habe gerade nicht die mentale Energie auf Englisch zu antworten, aber es war sehr gut. -I don’t have the brain power to respond in English right now, but it was very good.


	15. Chapter 15

Beca walked on shaky legs to the kitchen hours later. She was starving and she wasn’t sure she could actually stand up long enough to make them a meal. She wasn’t sure she actually had enough brain power for that either. She, however, did have enough brain power to go to the drawer with all the takeout menus she’d amassed in three months and pick out one of the places that delivered.

Mina walked into the kitchen wearing only an over long t-shirt. Beca wondered how in the world that the woman could make something like that look incredibly sexy, but she pulled it off with ease. Beca held up the takeout menu, a pizza place a couple blocks away.

“Sound good? There’s also a Chinese place and an Indian place that deliver, too. I’m sure we could find anything else we wanted if we Googled it, but these are the ones I have already.”

“Pizza is fine.”

“Cool.” Beca flopped down at the table, giving her legs a break. She was glad it was the weekend. She didn’t want to have to explain why she was walking like she just got fucked to Antarctica and back. Which she totally had, but who wanted to explain that to coworkers?

“What do you like on pizza?”

Mina reached out for the menu. Beca handed it over willingly and slumped on the table. She needed food and to sleep for days. Six fucking rounds. Six. And she was pretty sure they weren’t done for the night. Mina would probably get one in right before they passed out just so she could one up Beca on amount of orgasms given. Not that Beca was really complaining. The whole competitive girlfriend thing did have some advantages.

“There are also chocolate chip cookies over there for dessert,” Beca said gesturing towards the counter where a big Ziploc bag was sitting.

“Danke,” Mina said still looking over the menu. She sighed and slid it away. “No American pizza place has tuna, it is rather disappointing.”

Beca blinked, not sure she’d just heard Mina right. “Tuna? On pizza? What?”

“I could say the same thing about Americans  putting pineapple on pizza. Why?”

“Because it’s good. I mean it’s not one of my favorite things to get on pizza, but it’s pretty chill. But tuna?”

“There are anchovies on here.” Mina flicked the menu.

“Yeah, but like…only like three people actually get anchovies.” Beca scrunched her face. “And you’re telling me that tuna is actually a thing in Germany?”

“A rather popular thing, yes.”

“You guys are weird.” She shook her head. “But is there anything else you’d want, or do you want just cheese?”

“What do you usually get?” Mina stretched, shirt riding up, exposing gloriously bare skin and Beca couldn’t think for half a second.

“Um, right, uh, pepperoni, mushrooms, and green pepper.”

“Leave off the mushrooms on my half and add onions.”

Beca scrunched her face. “Ew, onions, but yeah, you got it.”

Mina leaned forward and took one of Beca’s hands, bringing it up to her mouth and kissing it. “I’ll brush my teeth before I kiss you again, mouse.”

“Thanks, but the point was more I don’t like onions than anything. I think I’d probably kiss you even after you rolled in a mud pit.” She looked away. “Anyway, pizza time.”

Beca picked up the phone and dialed quickly, ordering their food and sitting back after she hung up. “It’ll be about forty minutes.” She shrugged. “Dinner time on a Saturday.”

“We can cuddle on the couch in the meantime, come.” Mina stood and offered her hand to Beca.

Beca took the offered hand and pulled herself up. “Hold on though. I know I’m not going to want to get up again unless the pizza is here and I know I need to put on some more clothes. I don’t want to give the pizza guy a show.” She looked down at herself, a pair of socks on her feet and an open jacket that she’d picked up off the floor without really looking at it. Definitely not a decent outfit.

“Yes, because I’m the only one allowed to get a show from you.” Mina smirked.

“Yeah, that would be the point of the whole girlfriend thing,” Beca deadpanned. She walked forward and kissed Mina lightly, having to stand on her tip toes to do it. “You need to lose like an inch maybe like three to make kissing you easier,” she huffed.

“I know you do like a challenge, though, mouse.” She tapped Beca on the nose. “I’ll be waiting for you on the couch.” She turned and walked off through the apartment and if Beca was totally staring at her ass every time the t-shirt she was wearing rode up, well who could blame her.

She shook herself and went to their room, pulling on a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt of her own. Beca looked in the mirror and cringed. Definite sex hair. She grabbed a hair tie and pulled it back so it looked at least halfway presentable and nodded at herself. No need for anymore for a pizza guy.

Beca walked back out to see Mina fiddling with the remotes, frowning at them. “Aw, can the brilliant scientist not figure out how to turn on the TV?” she asked in a slightly mocking tone. She flopped beside Mina and grabbed one of the controllers from Mina’s hand and pressed the power button before grabbing the other one and hitting the cable power button.

“There’s a way to get this one to do everything, but I haven’t read the instruction manual, nor do I really care to.” Beca shrugged and handed back the cable remote to Mina. “Pick whatever you want to watch.” She snuggled into Mina’s side and sighed.

Mina flipped through a few channels before settling on the Food Network and sitting back. She wrapped her arms around Beca’s shoulder and kissing her forehead.

“Did you really have to pick the food channel when we’re both starving?” She buried her face into Mina’s chest.

“I like cooking shows, liebling, or did you forget that I’m the one who likes to cook, not bake?”

“I didn’t, no, but this is Food Network in the evening. It’s not exactly cooking shows as such.” Chopped was actually on screen at that moment. Which she liked Chopped, but Jesus her stomach was going to eat her insides soon.

“True, but it still has to do with food, doesn’t it? Ideas can come from anywhere.” She smiled down at Beca.

“Fine, fine you’re right, but if I start gnawing on your arm I get to say I told you so.”

Mina flexed her free arm, throwing the muscles there into sharp relief. Beca had to resist the urge to get up and lick them. She held herself at bay. Hopefully, they didn’t have enough time for another round before the pizza was here. Hopefully, because really she should have grabbed a couple cookies to tide her over if not because ugh.

“Well, if you did decide to snack on me, at least there would be quite a bit of meat.” She smirked.

Beca rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, we know you’re the absolute epitome of physical fitness. I just spent literally hours worshipping your body. I’m aware. God, your abs though.” She shivered just a bit.

“Oh, you mean these?” Mina lifted up her shirt and looked down at her stomach, flexing those muscles purposely too.

Beca licked her lips staring at all the bare skin revealed to her. She felt a bit like a hormonal teenage boy, but she sure as hell had a better refractory time. “Yeah, I definitely mean those.”

“Mmm, good. I work rather hard to keep them like this. I find the effort worth it.”

“Definitely. Never stop.”

Mina’s hand slipped between Beca and the couch. It found its way onto Beca’s ass and squeezed. “And whatever you do to maintain this, don’t stop that either.”

Beca snorted. “I took you as more of an boob woman than an ass woman.”

“Oh, they both have their perks, but I do like having something to grab onto while fucking you and being fucked. Boobs are lovely, but they don’t quite work so well for that.”

“Noted.”

Mina’s hand kept massaging her ass. Beca was tempted to let her continue but they only had thirty minutes left of the original forty and that wasn’t near enough to really have a good time. She liked fast and dirty, but right now, after a morning of mostly fast and dirty, she still wanted slow and intense.

Her hand found Mina’s and pulled it up to rest around her shoulders. “Easy there tiger, food on the way remember.”

Mina smirked. “You could always eat me.”

Beca groaned. “I have, several times today, but I need nutrients woman.” She shoved her gently with her shoulder. “And I know you do too. You aren’t a robot.”

“No, I suppose not. I could be a Cylon and you wouldn’t know it, though.”

Beca just looked at Mina with a blank face. “Uh, what?”

“You’ve never watched any of Battle Star Galactica?”

Beca shook her head. “No, that’s a sci fi show right?”

“It is.”

“You like sci fi too?”

“If it’s well done. I do enjoy science, ja? But that show was good. I watched it when I was younger to help with my English.”

“You’re just a bundle of surprises, you know that?” Beca asked.

“I am aware. But seriously, mouse, if you haven’t seen that, it’s worth watching.” Mina tapped a finger against her lips, considering. “I wonder if Netflix has it.”

“Oh no, I just got signed up to binge watch this with you, didn’t I?”

Mina smirked at her. “Yes, it will be fun. I can make popcorn for us and you’ve already made the cookies. The rest of the food we can make during breaks.”

“Nerd.” She shook her head. “But yeah, I’ll watch it with you, if only because you’re cute when you’re enthusiastic about something.”

“Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed Beca on top of her head. “It will be a good way to adjust to the time difference here and wait out the jet lag.”

“I thought the best cure for jet lag was exercise.” Beca stuck out her tongue.

“Oh, it is, but I’ll be up and will have exercised before that so it will be fine.”

“You’re telling me you’re actually going to get up tomorrow and exercise? Like the hours long marathon of fucking we just went through wasn’t enough exercise for like the next week?”

“One doesn’t keep muscles like mine without a little work, liebling.”

“Maybe you are a robot. Or a Cyman? Whatever you just said a minute ago.” She shrugged.

“Cylon. You’ll see what I mean tomorrow.”

“I suppose I will.”

She settled back into the couch again, watching as some contestant outline why they were there. This guy was there for his kids, how original. And his dish looked like something Beca could cook, so he wasn’t exactly looking good as far as who got chopped went.

They went down the line and Beca looked up at Mina again. “Which one do you want to win?” she asked.

“The Hispanic woman. Her dish looked the best and she wasn’t overly confident, but still self-assured. The two men in the kitchen are just complete assholes and the other woman is too…over the top I think. She’ll try to do something too much in the dinner round if she makes it.”

“I think the dude who looks like he’s about to rob a bank is gonna get it this round. His plate looked like crap and the judges didn’t exactly have anything good to say about it either. Who doesn’t check for pin bones? I mean I know from watching this show so much that you always have to check for those. I’m not exactly sure how to deal with them, but at least I know that’s a fucking concern.”

Mina laughed. “I can show you how to deal with them at some point, mouse. It’s not terribly difficult, just time consuming. But yes, I think you’re right.”

They waited through the commercial break and Beca cheered quietly when the dude’s dish popped up on the chopping block.

“Ten bucks says he’ll say it was mistake on the judges part and throw one of the women under the bus.”

Mina snorted and shook her head. “I don’t take fool’s bets and it would be stupid to bet against that.”

Sure enough, the guy did almost exactly what Beca had said.

“Great, I now have enough skills to become a TV psychic. Sign me up for my own TV show.” Beca’s face was blank and completely serious.

Mina just looked at her for a long minute before laughing. “Oh, little mouse, you’re too sarcastic for that line of work. You would insult them for coming to such a hokey show before you got anyway.”

“Well, you aren’t wrong.”

The dinner round started on TV just as the buzzer rang. “Sweet Jesus, thank god, food.” Beca grabbed her wallet up off the table and shot towards the door.

She buzzed the guy up and two minutes later she was sitting on the couch, stuffing pizza in her face in a very undignified manner. Mina just looked at her with an amused smile.

“Plates, mouse?”

“It’s pizza, do we really need plates? Though paper towels would probably be a good idea.” She frowned, looking down at her pizza, not really wanting to put it down because she was just that fucking hungry.

“I will be back then.”

“You’re a goddess,” Beca called after her.

Mina turned to look over her shoulder. “So you’ve been telling me since you met me.”

Beca shook her head and continued to chow down.

“Do you want anything to drink, liebling?” Mina called back, peaking over the little diving walls. Of course she was tall enough to do that. Beca rolled her eyes. Stupid perfect, tall German woman.

“Um, there should actually be some beer in there. If you’d grab one for me that’d be great.”

“American beer?” There was derision in Mina’s voice.

“Um, probably? I don’t know. It just had interesting packaging and I decided to try it out the last time I was at the store. It’s not bad for beer. There’s also water, iced tea, some orange juice, and milk in there if you want.”

Mina appeared a minute later holding a glass of water and Beca’s beer, thankfully already uncapped. Beca reached up and took the beer. “Thanks, engel.”

“I should have just poured that thing down the sink.” She eyed the beer with disdain.

“So it wasn’t as good as the one you got me in Copenhagen. Not everything can be that great.” Beca shrugged. It really hadn’t been bad for a spur of the moment purchase. She’d been the sucker they were aiming for when they designed the package with the weird picture of what looked like a dog on the front. If she was a five year old at heart, well at least she was a five year old with a liquor license.

“Or Americans just don’t care about quality.”

“You’re probably right considering Corona still fucking sells, but that’s beside the point here. This really isn’t that bad.” She took another drink before taking another bite of pizza. She was starting to feel half alive again.

“I will give you that it is better than Corona, but that’s not saying a great deal, mouse.”

Beca shrugged. “Fair enough, but you see the prices you have to pay for imported beer and then you’ll be trying to find something domestic that you like, trust me. Alcohol is damn expensive without having to ship it overseas.”

Mina hummed and took another bite of pizza. “At least your taste in pizza isn’t bad. This is good.”

Beca laughed. “Yeah, well, the internet is very informative, don’t you know.”

Mina reached out and shoved at her shoulder, leaving greasy finger prints on Beca’s arm. She scrunched her nose and grabbed one of the paper towels that Mina had brought and wiped herself off.

“Are you always so sarcastic and smart assed, liebling?”

Beca just looked at Mina with an expression that screamed ‘are you really asking that question?’

Mina rolled her eyes. “Of course you are, you wouldn’t be my little mouse if you weren’t.”

“Damn right.” She finished off her first piece of pizza and dived back in for another. On screen it was the dessert round and the contestants were down to the Hispanic woman that Mina was rooting for and one of the other scruffy white guys who looked like half the other contestants that had come on the show before him. He was making bread pudding. And epically failing at it. Beca smirked. Why did they even try bread pudding? Idiots.

“Any bets on who wins?” Beca asked between bites.

“The woman, she isn’t as creative, perhaps, but that man is, as Pieter would say, a heated mess.”

Beca laughed. “Yeah, a little bit. I don’t think his food is going to be all that hot, I think it’s just going to be a mess.”

Mina hummed and reached for another piece of pizza. They watched the seconds tick down. The guy didn’t get any better and the woman pulled her ice cream out of the machine and it looked good. Kiwi-soy ice cream. She wondered what the hell that would taste like, it sounded really bad. The woman on screen, however, tasted it and nodded, so it must not have been too bad. They plated, the guy barely getting everything on in time, and it really did look like a hot mess. The judges all had their say, Alex thought everything was wonderful, Scott thought everything tasted like the asshole he was, and Aaron was somewhere in the middle, typical spread.

Beca got up at the commercial break. “Cookies?”

Mina smiled. “Is there also milk, mouse?”

“Yes, there is.” She cocked an eyebrow. “What are you, a cat?”

“I did give you that stuffed cat, didn’t I? And wasn’t it supposed to represent me?”

“You make a fair point, but you sure as hell aren’t a fucking house cat. Maybe like a lion, or better yet a black panther with as much black and leather as you wear.”

“They are also silent when killing, you never see them coming.” Mina smirked, and somehow made the action look completely feline.

Beca shivered a little bit. Yeah, that last round was totally going to happen later. She felt it like an old sailor felt storms coming in their bones. She rolled her eyes at her own corniness and walked off to grab the cookies and milk.

She sat back down with a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk just as Ted Allen was pulling off the cover of the chopped dish. Under it was hot mess bro’s dish.

“Ha!” Beca exclaimed, dunking her cookie into the milk and taking a bite. Mmm, she really had outdone herself on this batch. She took another bite quickly. Maybe she just thought they tasted better because she’d been literally fucking her girlfriend all day. Or maybe they tasted better because her girlfriend was right beside her munching on her own cookie, but that would be really gooey and cliché and she should probably avoid that.

“Like the cookies?” Beca asked as the guy shrugged on screen and looked a bit like a kicked puppy.

“They are very good, mouse. With you baking and I cooking, I think we will make a very good team.”

Beca smiled and leaned in, brushing a few crumbs from Mina’s lips. “Maybe not for our waistlines.”

“Oh, I’m sure we can find a way to burn off some of the calories.” Mina’s eyes sparked and suddenly she looked like Beca was the only thing she was interested in eating.

Beca swallowed and put her milk aside. “Oh really, what did you have in mind?”

“I think it’s time the couch really got broken in, don’t you?” Mina was slowly inching forward.

“I think that might be a good idea.”

Mina chuckled. “I’m glad you and I see eye to eye, mouse.” And then Mina was on top of her, kissing her for all she was worth, while Food Network played in the background.


	16. Chapter 16

Beca slapped at her alarm three days later. She didn’t want to get up. She really didn’t want to get up. She was warm, and Mina was still in bed with her instead of off doing whatever insane workout she did in the mornings. Or maybe she was back in bed after that insane workout. Whatever, the point still stood that she didn’t want to fucking move and yet she had to. Work. She had to work like a real adult.

She groaned and moved Mina’s arm from around her so she could sit up and get out of bed. There was another meeting for Nikolai’s album today. She needed to look damn good. And her boss was probably going to ask her about stuff for Veronica too. She still had the song that had no lyrics and a couple of other mostly done things, that she could have him listen to, but nothing as impressive as the first time, at least not right now. If she took a bit more time to write lyrics, there could be something with the first song, she just had to find inspiration.

“Is it time to get up already?” Mina asked, voice still sleepy.

“It is for me.” She turned from trying to find an outfit and stuck out her tongue. Mina’s eyes were still closed so it really didn’t have the desired effect. “Someone else I know can sleep for another week before they have to be anywhere.”

“Mmm, not really. I have a meeting on Wednesday with the professor I’m TAing for and then another one with the professor I’m researching under. Thursday and Friday are workshops for being an TA and a lab safety demonstration as well. And I should go in sometime today or tomorrow to fill out all of my HR paperwork.” Mina stretched and groaned.

Beca swallowed and looked away. She didn’t have time to give in to what she really wanted to do, which was crawl back into bed and kiss Mina senseless. Right, no time. She turned towards the closet again and started to paw through the stuff she had that was a little more formal.

“Well won’t you just be so productive?”

“That is the goal. After all I am being paid to be productive.” Beca heard rustling as Mina sat up.

“True, true.” She grabbed a blazer and a button up and turned back to Mina. “There’s a meeting with Nikolai today. Do you think this will be ok?”

Mina looked it over for a second before getting up from the bed, gently moving Beca out of the way and flipping through Beca’s shirts before she stopped on one and made a pleased noise. She held it out to Beca. Beca held it up to the blazer and raised both eyebrows. That did look better, the scoop neck of the top and the bright blue color softened the blazer a bit and made it look a little less like she was the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and more like she was a music producer.

“Dark skinny jeans?” Beca asked.

Mina glanced back at the outfit and nodded. “And your converse. Professional, but keeping within your industry.”

Mina pulled a white blouse from her side of the closet and a pair of jeans. “This will be good enough for paperwork.”

“Oh my god,” Beca clutched at her chest. “You’re not wearing black. I think I have to alert the presses.”

Mina just stared at Beca for a long moment and shook her head. “You’ve seen me in things other than black, little mouse, stop being a queen of drama.”

“Drama queen.”

“Isn’t that what I said?”

Beca shrugged. “Well, technically. But the order does matter in that case.”

Mina rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine, but the point about black does still stand here. It’s LA, it is hot and in the middle of the desert. Wearing black here would be rather torturous in late August.”

“You make a good point, but still, bestill my heart.”

“You and Pieter would make a good team with the over statements.” Mina threw her clothing on the bed and started to dig out a bra from the dresser.

“Fly him over from Germany, I’m sure now that we’re together it would be a lot of fun since he’s not trying to trash talk me into the ground.”

Mina laughed. “Are you sure about that, liebling? Pieter loves to tease. It is his lifeblood. DSM has grown used to it, but you, I suspect would go after him the first time he called you troll again.”

“I think he’d lay off at least a little bit after I proved I could hold my own. Besides, I didn’t flip the last time he called me troll back in Copenhagen, now did I?”

“I suppose you didn’t, but we were also very focused on leaving.”

Beca slipped on her clothes. “I remember there was threatening to tell me about something, probably embarrassing. Why can’t you just pull that card again? Then teasing wouldn’t be an issue, now would it?”

Mina shook her head, her eyes going a little wide. “Oh no, I don’t want to play that card. I don’t ever want to remind him of the potential blackmail he has on me.”

Beca stepped forward until she was a couple inches from where Mina was standing, shrugging on her shirt. “What blackmail? You can’t just say he has blackmail on you and not tell me what it is. That’s just mean.”

“You still have to get ready for work, mouse. You hair needs styled, you have major bed head going on and as cute as it is, I don’t think your coworkers will share my views.” Mina ran her hands through Beca’s hair.

“You’re deflecting,” Beca sang as she stepped back and walked towards the bathroom.

“Why would you say that?” Mina said, stepping into the bathroom doorway and Beca started to brush out her hair carefully.

“Because you are.” She met Mina’s eyes in the mirror. “What’s so bad that you keep changing the subject?”

“You have those awkward moments that you would rather keep to yourself, ja?”

“Well yeah, duh.” She was awkward personified most days, but that usually wasn’t Mina, though apparently she might be a secret closet nerd with all that sci fi stuff. Which was more adorable than it should be.

“Can I say that this is one of those things that I would rather keep to myself because it’s very, very embarrassing and have you not resent me for it?” Mina looked away, face started to turn a lovely shade of red.

“Wow, it’s really that bad?” Beca turned around to face Mina.

“Ja, it is.”

“Alright, I won’t poke about it later then, but seriously. You can trust me with anything, you know that?”

“Of course I do, it’s just…you never want your significant other to know you’re a complete idiot.”

Beca snorted. “Point made.” She stepped forward and cupped Mina’s face. “But beautiful, I don’t think I’m really capable of thinking that you’re a complete idiot.”

Mina’s face softened. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Beca leaned in and kissed Mina lightly. “If you ever want to tell me, I can’t promise I won’t laugh, but I can promise that I’ll tell you something completely stupid that I’ve done in return and you’re free to laugh.”

Mina snorted. “I suppose that is a fair trade.”

“Damn right.” Beca turned around to finish getting ready. “Hair up or down?” It really didn’t look bad down today. The humidity from monsoon season was actually at a manageable level today so her hair wasn’t doing the whole curly frizzy monster shtick.

“Down, up would be a little too severe for the look you’re going for.”

Beca nodded and started to put on her makeup. “How in the world did you come into all this fashion knowledge? Doesn’t exactly seem like your thing.”

“My mother, she liked fashion magazines and she worked as a business executive for a long while. So I learned a great bit by osmosis, both about business clothes and regular fashion. Though shopping with her when I was younger was a slight nightmare.”

Beca laughed and put the finishing touches on her concealer and picked up her foundation. “That sounds like it. What did she veto like every outfit that you really wanted?”

“Sometimes that, but mostly unless it was completely hideous she allowed me to get what I wanted, she would just match it with other things so it looked better. Of course when that happened she’d have to find the best match for it, so it was more rounds of trying on clothes. That was the nightmare, trying on so many clothes.” Mina shook her head. “It’s still my least favorite part of clothes shopping.”

“I think that’s everyone’s least favorite part of clothes shopping.” Beca sighed. “It must have been nice spending so much time with her, though.”

“It was, especially when I got older and actually more interested in clothing. Until I was sixteen she worked a great deal so those were the days I got to spend the most time with her consecutively. When I hit sixteen, though, she retired from business, she’d had enough and wanted to focus on other things, so she took a part time consulting job for other businesses and was home more after that. Much to my sister’s exasperation.” Mina laughed.

“It must have been nice.” Beca finished her makeup, trying not to let sadness grip her.

“Little mouse?” Mina, of course noticed.

“It’s nothing. I just…Mom’s.” She shrugged. “Sometimes I can talk about them and sometimes some of the sadness from back then sort of socks me in the stomach. I think it’s because in the three months since I moved Mom hasn’t called or emailed once.”

Mina stepped up behind Beca and wrapped her up in a hug, setting her chin on top of Beca’s head. “She missed out on a very good thing with you, liebling. I’m sorry.”

Beca looked down at her things, organizing them and putting them back. “It’s fine. I mean everything worked out without her, right? I have a job that I love, an apartment that’s actually nice, and this beautiful German Goddess as a girlfriend.”

“Yes, you do.” Mina kissed the top of Beca’s head and stepped back. “But you will be late if you don’t leave soon.”

Beca looked down at her cell phone and cursed. “Yeah, you’re right. Jesus, where does the time go in the mornings.” She dashed back out into their room and grabbed all her stuff, hopping around while she tried to put on her shoes.

Mina was still leaning on the door to the bathroom, just watching. “So this was what all the ruckus was every time you said you were late.” She stepped forward and started putting things in Beca’s bag for her, making sure everything was in the right pocket before zipping it up.

Beca stood up, shoes finally on, and grabbed the bag. “Thanks, engel. Love you, see you later, bye.”

Mina’s laughter accompanied her out to the kitchen while she grabbed a granola bar and ran the rest of the way out of the apartment.

 

As was expected Beca’s boss pulled her over after the meeting with Nikolai. “Why don’t we talk in my office.”

“Uh, sure.” Beca wasn’t super looking forward to this at all, telling her boss that she really didn’t have a complete product, but she supposed it was just like ripping off a Band-Aid and she might as well get it over with.

They walked to his office and he gestured for Beca to sit. “You’ve been working on more songs for Veronica, haven’t you?”

Beca nodded. “Yeah, I have.” She pawed around in her bag for one of her USBs and smiled as she finally found one. “I’ve gotten one song completely done but I haven’t really found lyrics to fit yet, and there are two more files on there that have the bare bones done and I’ve been playing around with effects, but haven’t settled on anything yet.” She held out the drive to her boss.

He took it from her and plugged it in. “Lyrics are either the hardest or the easiest part, there’s no in-between,” he said with a kind smiled.

Well that made Beca feel at least a little better.

“Which file is the one that’s mostly done?”

“That’s one that’s saved as ‘fun.’”

Her boss nodded, put on his headphone and double clicked on the file. Beca sat there. If there was one thing she really did hate about her job it was sitting and waiting while someone listened to a track she’d produced. So nerve wracking.

Mack pulled off the headphones a couple minutes later and nodded. “Sounds right up Veronica’s alley. She’s coming in later, why don’t you meet with her? She might have some lyrics already written up without any music yet that would match this.”

“Um, ok awesome.” Beca smiled.

He put one side of his headphone back up to his ear and double clicked the other files and listened to snipets of each.

“That first one, have you tried marimba maybe? It would lighten it up, make it more summery. By the time the next album comes out it’ll be just in time for spring to warm up into summer and a good summer anthem is always a hit. And the second, piano layer on top. The bass line in that one needs some work, it’s too predictable.”

He ejected the drive and handed it back to Beca. “Bring them back to me when you’re done with them and I’ll see if they can be used. You’re doing good work, kid.”

Beca took the drive and stuffed it back in her bag. “Thanks.”

“Keep working like that, and any time.”

Beca stood with another smile and walked back to her desk. The ever present pile of demos was there to greet her and she sighed. One day, one day she wouldn’t have to listen to demos unless they were actually good. That one day was probably in the distant future, but for now, she loaded up the first one on the pile and set to listening, waiting until Veronica appeared.

 

An hour after lunch Veronica walked into the label and right into Mack’s office. Beca kept an eye on the door while she scribbled notes on the latest demo she was listening to. It was bad, really, really, _really_ fucking bad, but she would be damned if she didn’t take thorough notes on it. She wouldn’t be told she wasn’t doing her job, even if her ears were practically bleeding right now. Seriously, they had at least basic editing software, right? So why was every fucking note out of tune? Unless they were trying to make some sort of artist’s statement, and then Beca was really sorry that she’d gotten this demo because it wasn’t fucking working.

Just as the demo ended Veronica headed out of Mack’s office and towards Beca. Beca breathed a sigh of relief and put aside her headphones for now. Thank god, she wasn’t sure that she could stand anymore music right now. Even if it was a good demo with promise she might rip it apart right now just because she could.

“Hey, Mack said you had a track I should listen to,” Veronica said, stealing a chair from one of the other desks and plopping down beside Beca.

“Yup, it doesn’t have lyrics yet, and he thought you might have something stored away that could work.” Beca grabbed out her drive again and loaded the files.

“Yeah, that’s what he said. Said it sounded like something I’d like to.” She shrugged.

Beca just awkwardly smiled. “Well, here’s hoping.” She handed over her headphone and once Veronica had them settled over her ears she double clicked the first file.

She didn’t feel quite as nervous with Veronica listening to the file. After all, Mack could fire her since he was her boss, but all Veronica could say was no, which would suck and be a bit of a blow to Beca’s confidence, but nothing really world ending. Mina would probably just kiss it all better later anyway, and that wasn’t a bad prospect.

Veronica nodded and handed back the headphones. “Ok, it actually does sound like something I would have put together. I like it. You were the one that wrote the last one I recorded, right?”

Beca nodded. “Yeah, that was me.”

“Cool, you had a good take on the lyrics and how to communicate what they should mean. So what about this song, what did you think of while writing the music?”

“Honestly, it started out as the bass line. I couldn’t get it out of my head and so I wrote it down. Everything else just sort of…came after naturally. I wasn’t really thinking about anything in particular until I got it done and listened to it again to see what I could do with lyrics and then it was just…it reminded me of fun, like a good time with friends, you know? Nothing super crazy, just a nice weekend. Though with my friends crazy was always sort of on the menu.” She snorted.

Veronica laughed. “I get what you mean. Artists have no chill, unless they’re more on the indie side and then they have too much chill and then they’re a bit boring to go out with, but interesting to talk to.” She shrugged. “I just have a mix of both to keep things interesting.”

“You have any back lyrics for fun?” Beca asked.

Veronica shook her head. “Nah, the type of music I make usually the ones about fun are the first ones I use, you know? Easy to dance to at a club and all while you’re drunk out of your mind. I’ve got some about love and others about heartbreak, the usual bit, but fun, I got nothing. Most of this album I haven’t really been in the mood to write about fun.”

“Rough year?”

“No just…different.”

Beca nodded. “I get that. This last few months has been…compared with where I was before, it’s a complete one eighty. Then again I think everyone thinks that after graduating college.”

“Congrats on that, big milestone.” Veronica smiled wistfully. “I love making music, but if this whole super star thing doesn’t work out I kind of want to study history, especially world history. I got enough US history in school to kill something.”

Beca laughed. “Yeah, I feel that. Good luck with the history thing, though. It was always interesting, I just suck at dates and names. Music was always more my thing. Obviously.” She gestured around her office.

Veronica’s face scrunched in concentration. “Huh, I might have an idea.”

“Really?”

“Yeah…” she trailed off looking far away. “I’m gonna go try and write it down. Here.” She produced a card from seemingly nowhere. “That’s my cell, text me later and I’ll tell you what I have and we can see if we can make it work, yeah?”

“Oh, ok, cool, sounds like a good idea.” Beca took the card and smiled.

“Awesome, see you later.” Veronica stood up, still looking rather dreamy and walked off and out of the studio.

Beca snorted. She knew sometimes she could get like that if she really had a good idea, but she didn’t know it looked that ridiculous from the outside. She guessed that was the price to pay for inspiration. She grabbed out her phone and texted Mina.

“Hope your paperwork is going well. Met with my boss and he liked the one complete song and I’m working with the artist to come up with lyrics. Not a bad day so far, but remind me to tell you about the horrible demo I just listened to later. It was baaad. Love you.”

She slipped her phone back into her pocket and set back to work.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally posted two days in a row because I'm an adult and forgot what day it was and how to count. But now that we're back on track here's the chapter a little earlier in the day, because I'm also still an adult and posting this at work in my free time.

Beca walked into her apartment and froze at the noise coming from the kitchen. She shook herself. Right, no one had broken in, it was just Mina. She was living with someone now. Right. Duh, she was an idiot.

“Engel, I’m home,” Beca sang out in a slightly mocking tone. She walked into the living room and threw her stuff by the couch before she walked back into the kitchen.

“Good evening, liebling.” Mina said, turning from whatever she was doing at the stove a smiling at Beca.

Beca caught a glimpse of color on Mina’s front. She walked forward. “Oh my god, are you wearing your apron?”

“Well, I assumed this was mine considering your little mouse one was hanging beside it. So yes, I suppose I am.”

Beca started laughing. “Oh my god, turn around. I have to see how it looks on you.”

Mina sighed before she turned around. “Really, mouse, this was the best you could do?”

A multitude of rainbow colored cats covered most of Mina’s upper body, cutting off just above the knee. It looked absolutely ridiculous on Mina, which had totally been why she’d ordered it.

“What? You’re always going with that whole you’re the cat to my mouse thing. Why shouldn’t the aprons match that?”

“But rainbow?” Mina arched an eyebrow and turned about around.

“What is the big bad scary German scared of color?”

“I’m wearing color today. You can’t say I am afraid of color. This is just…riotous and much too much.” Mina scrunched up her face.

“You’re wearing white, that isn’t really a color. And before you go all fucking science-y on me, I know technically white is all the colors in one, but I don’t care. It’s not a real color.” Beca stuck out her tongue and walked to a free part of the counter and hopped up, scrambling a little bit before she got into place.

“Aw tiny mouse, you are almost too short to get on the counters, how cute.” Mina smirked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, you giant.” She reached out and shoved Mina gently. “What are you making?”

“Homemade spaghetti sauce.” She sprinkled in red pepper flakes to the vegetables that were sautéing and stirred them in along with a few other herbs that Beca really couldn’t distinguish other than they were green and since it was spaghetti sauce one of them was probably basil. Probably. This was why she wasn’t the one doing the cooking, just the cookies.

“Yum.”

“Mhm, you are fine with slightly spicy food, ja?”

“Ja, I mean we’re in LA, I’d sort of be fucked if I wasn’t.”

Mina snorted. “I’m sure there are more than enough restaurants here that cater to those with bland palates.”

“Like you can talk, you’re from Germany. Liverwurst and sauerkraut don’t exactly scream spicy to me.”

“Make yourself useful and open these cans, mouse.” Mina shoved a group of four can at her while still stirring the mix in the pan. “Just because our food doesn’t usually contain spicy elements doesn’t mean it isn’t seasoned. There is a vast difference. American food on the other hand seems to be all fried and either brown, yellow, or white with little to no seasoning.”

Well, she did have at least some of a point there, but Beca wasn’t about to let her win that easily. “Ok, so maybe it’s like that some places, like the Midwest or some shit, but it’s not like that everywhere. All the Midwest is, is corn anyway. It doesn’t count.”

Mina looked at her. “I remember southern comfort food, little mouse, it wasn’t much different.”

Damn it. “Fine, ok, we’re boring white people. You’re also a boring white person who’s learned how to use red pepper flakes. Such an amazing concept. It’s like you know how to cook properly.”

“And you’re saying all those other people don’t know how to cook.”

“Well, they can cook, just not season, and that’s like half the battle right? You could get chopped if you don’t season right.”

“So you can.” She looked at the cans that Beca hadn’t touched yet. “And speaking of can, get on it, little mouse. I need those now before the garlic and onion brown too much.”

“Yes, mistress.” Beca rolled her eyes and set to work opening the cans, shoving them one by one at Mina who dumped them in the pan, still stirring. She dropped two bay leaves into the mixture and put a lid on it and stepped back.

“That will simmer for a little while, but after that is done the pasta needs to be cooked and that’s it. Dinner will be within the next thirty minutes.”

Beca smiled and gestured for Mina to come closer. Mina stepped between Beca’s legs and cocked a questioning eyebrow. Beca just leaned forward and kissed her soundly before pulling back.

“Thanks for making dinner. You’re great, you know that?”

“I try, and usually I do succeed.” Mina smiled and pulled away, rustling around before finding a large pot and going over to the sink and starting to fill it with water.

“All I do is win, win, win no matter what?” Beca asked.

“Got money on my mind I can never get enough and every time I step into the building everybody’s hands go up.” Mina picked up the line, actually starting to sing. She sent a challenging look towards Beca.

“Oh, are we really doing this? Are we really signing your set from worlds? Need I remind you, you lost,” Beca said in a sing-song voice.

Mina continued singing, “And they stay there. And they stay there. And they stay there.”

Beca gave in. “I’m on fire,” she sang, sliding off the counter so she wouldn’t sound like complete crap.

“Cause all I do is win, win, win, and if you’re going in put your hands in the air, make them stay there.”

“So light ‘em up up up, light ‘em up up up, I’m on fire.” Beca sang under Mina.

Mina continued, repeating the line, smug smile on her face even as they were singing. “And they stay there. And they stay there. And they stay there.”

Beca walked forward again as Mina shut off the water and hefted up the pot, still singing like lifting ten pounds of water was like lifting a feather. “So light ‘em up up up, light ‘em up up up, I’m on fire.”

Mina set the pot on the stove and turned it on before turning to face Beca who was now only a couple feet from her. “Cause all I do is win, win, win, and if you’re going in put your hands in the air make them stay there.”

Beca stepped forward again so she was only about a foot from Mina, looking up at her with an expression that screamed ‘really?’ “So light ‘em up up up, light ‘em up up up, I’m on fire.”

Mina immediately switched to the melodic part. “Whoa-oh-oh-ooh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh.”

Beca stopped singing and Mina faded out a few seconds later.

“Not bad, little mouse, since you haven’t sang in quite a while.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and nice singing for someone who came in second in worlds.”

“I am never going to live that down am I?”

Beca shook her head. “It’s the one thing I’ve got on your perfect ass. You best bet that I’m going to use it until the day I die.”

Mina took half a step forward until they were chest to chest. “The day you die, huh? You’re planning on being with me that long are you?”

Beca’s eyes widened slightly. She hadn’t even realized the implication in her words until that moment. “Uh, um, stuff? Junk? Things? I, uh, sort of hope so, but I mean, it’s life and stuff, but you’re gorgeous and beautiful and smart and you make me laugh, so that would be really cool and I’m going to shut up now, ok thanks.”

Mina laughed, hands coming up to cup Beca’s face. “I hope so too, mouse, don’t worry. Though I appreciate the reappearance of you babbling. It has been quite a while since you were that bad. It’s still as cute as I remember.”

Beca huffed. “Yeah, well.”

Mina leaned down and kissed her for a long moment. Beca found her arms wrapping around Mina’s neck without her consciously telling them to do so. Traitors. But then Mina’s hands were slipping into her back pockets and Beca couldn’t be too mad at that.

They pulled apart a minute later, Mina jumping forward just a bit and hissing. “Verdammt! Fuck, das tut höllisch weh." (that hurts like hell)

“Whoa, hey, what’s wrong?” Beca said, stumbling back from the impact of large German Goddess.

Mina rubbed at her lower back. “My blouse rode up and some of the water splashed out onto my skin.”

“Ow.” Beca walked over to the freezer and grabbed out an ice cube. “Come here.”

Mina did as ordered.

Beca turned her around and lifted her shirt, seeing the red spot immediately. She rubbed the ice cube between her hands until she had some melted water on her fingertips and then ran them over the little burnt place and Mina shivered.

“What are you doing, mouse?”

“You know how you’re supposed to run cold water over a burn? Well, your back is sort of an awkward place to do that, so, ice cube melts, and there’s enough cold water to soothe it at least somewhat.”

“I see, smart thinking.”

“Sometimes I have good idea.”

She kept rubbing the water on Mina’s back until the ice cube was no more and she grabbed a paper towel and dried them both off. Mina’s back looked a little less red at least, so the unconventional method hadn’t been completely a waste.

“You’re free to go,” Beca said, reaching up and patting Mina’s shoulder.

“Thank you, mouse.”

“Of course.” Beca walked back over to the counter and hopped up, this time a bit more gracefully, for which she was thankful.

Mina checked the sauce, nodding as she smelled it and again as she stirred it. “Do you like shrimp, liebling?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Good.” Mina moved to the fridge and took out a container, returning to the stove and dropping shrimp at regular intervals before recovering the pan and slipping the spaghetti into the boiling water. “The shrimp will cook while the pasta does and dinner should be ready in the next ten minutes.”

“Great, it smells delicious.”

“Danke.” Mina grabbed down two plates and two glasses. “I bought white wine on my way back from campus.” She snorted. “That was an adventure. I looked much above the legal drinking age, honestly. But, it is in the fridge. Pour us two glasses, bitte?”

“Sure thing. But, uh, Mina, you do realize that the drinking age in America is twenty-one right? So to get carded really wasn’t that far out of range. They card anyone under forty. Or at least that’s what they say anyway.”

Mina blinked and turned to Beca. “Oh, right, I forgot that this country was strange like that.”

Beca shrugged. “Blame prohibition, dude, I don’t know. Not like it stops sixteen year olds from drinking anyway.” She hopped off the counter and walked to the fridge.

“Prohibition…that was when people in your country banned the sale of alcohol, ja?”

“Yeah, it was back in the twenties through sometime in the thirties. A bunch of Victorian ladies got their panties in a twist and eventually congress passed an amendment. Which did jack shit and gave a fuck ton of money to the mobs making bath tub gin and made the police force probably the most corrupt it’s ever been. And that is the extent of my high school history knowledge. If you want any more knowledge Google is going to have to provide it.” She opened the fridge and grabbed out the bottle of wine that Mina had mentioned. She frowned at the cork. Ugh, she was so bad at uncorking bottles. She’d always had one of the other Bellas do it when she bought wine. And since she’d moved out to LA she’d just avoided buying wine for that reason.

She frowned and scrabbled around for the corkscrew. She knew they had one. Mina had made sure of it. Wine for cooking was sort of a must apparently. Beca just liked wine period so she hadn’t complained. She found it five drawers later stuffed into a corner with Mina snickering at her from her place in front of the stove.

“What? You find something you have used before and put away like two months ago. We’ll see how you fair.” Beca stuck out her tongue and walked back to the bottle, ripping off the foil and sighing. She started to screw the corkscrew in and hoped that she was actually doing it right for once in her life because her German Goddess of a girlfriend had been drinking wine since she was fucking sixteen and would of course be an expert at getting the cork out of a wine bottle and she really didn’t want to look like an idiot.

Which of course meant as soon as she tried to get the damn cork out of the bottle she made a complete idiot out of herself by accidentally hitting herself in the face while the cork didn’t actually move an inch. Mina cracked up and walked over, eyes scrunched up and a few tears leaking out.

“Not funny, dude. I hate corkscrews. They’re evil. Evil I tell you.”

“Not if you know how to work one properly.” Mina grabbed the bottle and pulled out the cork with one fluid motion, smirking at Beca before she went back to the stove and tasted the pasta once more before nodding and sticking a pair of tongs in the water and grabbing out the pasta, throwing it in the sauce pan.

Beca poured the wine, looking over. “Uh, aren’t you supposed to strain the pasta with one of those strainer things? We have one someone around here.”

“Nein. It cools off the pasta too much, and putting it in the sauce right after the water lets the sauce stick more, and finishing cooking it in the sauce as they meld together.” Mina grabbed the last of the pasta out and then stirred the pasta and sauce together.

“Oh. Ok. Didn’t know that.”

Mina shrugged. “Most people don’t. It’s one of those secrets of the trade sort of things that people are only now really learning at home.”

“Food network?” Beca asked.

“Actually no, tumblr.”

Beca just stared at Mina. “You seriously have a tumblr?”

“Ja, why wouldn’t I?”

“Oh my god. I have to see this. What do you even blog about?”

“Whatever I feel like, science, tv shows that I like, funny things, it’s a personal blog not really a fandom blog or a themed blog or anything.” Mina dished out two portions of pasta onto their plates. She stuck to forks into the pasta on each plate and picked them up. “Come with the wine, mouse, dinner is ready.”

Beca followed Mina obediently out to the dining room with the stems of the wine glasses gripped between her fingers. Mina set down the plates and took her glass from Beca.

“So I take it that you have a tumblr as well, mouse, since you are freaking out about it.”

“Well, yeah, it’s good for finding other music people, you know. Also, maybe, pictures of cats…”

Mina laughed. “Yes, tumblr is very good for that.”

“So what’s your URL?” Beca flopped down in her chair and picked up her fork, staring at the food hungrily. She twisted some onto her fork and stuffed it in her mouth. “Oh my god,” she said after a second. “This is great.”

“Danke, mouse.” Mina took a bite of her own and smile. “And what exactly would be the fun in telling you my URL? Find me.” She raised a challenging eyebrow.

“Oh come on, there are like five bajillion users. How in the world am I supposed to find you? Especially if you’re not a fandom blog or like some sort of themed blog? What am I supposed to fucking search Mina Stauss’s tumblr? Große katze, kleine maus? Mina is a big fat science nerd?”

Mina snorted at the last one.  “No, I don’t think any of those will work, liebling. But I have faith you’ll think of something.”

Yeah. If something was looking at Mina’s computer when she went to the bathroom then she was golden, but somehow she didn’t think that was what Mina meant. Though all was fair in love and war. And this was probably in the first category right? Whatever.

An idea hit her. “Oh my god, it totally has something to do with Kommissar doesn’t it?”

“I do have a tumblr that is for Kommissar, yes. All DSM members have a tumblr for people to be able to connect with them, but that isn’t my personal one, no. They aren’t even registered under the same email. The one for Kommissar is registered under my old DSM work email. I didn’t want my ask box flooded with screaming fangirls for my personal blog, you understand.”

“Yeah, because I get so many screaming fangirl asks,” Beca deadpanned.

“Mmm, count yourself lucky then. I love the fans and their passion, but sometimes it is overwhelming and I need my own space.”

Now that, Beca could actually understand. “Fair enough. Have any of the fans connected that you’re the one behind your personal blog?”

Mina shook her head. “I make sure not to post any pictures of myself nor do I give any information away about what I do for a living or where I am. Though I suppose now it is safe to do that since I’m not longer in DSM. My god the number of people begging me to leave.” Mina shook her head. “Lovely to know that they liked me, but…”

“Makes you feel a little shitty about making choices for yourself?”

“A bit, yes.” Mina took another bite and sighed. “But I am very, very happy where I am with what I am doing. I just have the money to live comfortably while doing it now, and I have lived my life outside of University for a while and had a good time, met wonderful people.” She looked at Beca with a smile. “And I am ready for something different, to settle down as they say.”

“Aw, you’re so domestic and cute.” Beca popped a shrimp into her mouth. “But seriously, this is great. And you’re a giant fluffy teddy bear and I love you to death and I can’t believe you actually chose to live with me, and all that gooey mushy stuff.” She looked away. “Now will you please tell me your tumblr?” She pouted just slightly, pulling out her best puppy dog eyes.

Mina shook her head with a pleased smirk on her face. “No, no I will not. Glad to know you would use all that gooey mushy junk just to extort me, little mouse.”

“So I get a little hyper focused sometimes. Sue me.”

“No, I don’t think I will. That would be a long drawn out process and really I could just get what I wanted if I kissed you soundly and left you breathless and unable to think.”

Beca’s head shot up. “Hey! That wouldn’t be fair.”

“No, but it would get me what I wanted.”

“Fine, but I’ll tickle you until I get my answers.”

Mina’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Watch me.” Beca cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly.

“I’ll lock you out of our bedroom and make you sleep on the couch,” Mina challenged.

“Like I haven’t done that before.”

Mina sat back, confident smirk on her face. “Yes, but that was before I got here. Now if I recall from the last few nights, you’ve slept all wrapped around me and couldn’t go to sleep otherwise.”

Beca tried to object, but Mina was totally right. Damn it. “Ugh, fine.” She drug out the last word as a whine. “I just don’t understand why you won’t tell me what your tumblr is. Is it embarrassing or something?”

“No, not really. I only started it when I was older.”

“Then why?”

“Perhaps I still want something to keep to myself, though if you work for it I’m willing to part with that.” Mina shrugged, putting the last bite of food in her mouth and chewing.

“That really doesn’t make sense.” Beca frowned.

“Maybe not, but it’s how I feel.”

“Ok, ok, you’re allowed to have your own space. But I’m still looking for it damn it. I’m curious now.” It wouldn’t consume her life until she found it or anything. No she was totally an adult and she could handle something like this with ease.

Yeah right.

Beca finished off her own plate and sipped her wine. Definitely better than the stuff she usually bought.

“So how was filling out paperwork?” Beca asked, swirling her wine around in her glass.

Mina’s face darkened. “Ugh, you Americans and your incessant amounts of paperwork. It took me forever with one of the HR women helping me and explaining to me what in the world I needed to put on some forms. I do not know how taxes work in this god forsaken country when no one knows how to fill out the paperwork to report your income.” Mina threw up her hands. “And then state taxes. And university forms on top of that. And five more forms beside that. It was a miracle I got done in a day.”

Beca laughed. “Yeah, I know that feeling. Tax forms are the worst. I’m not sure they’re actually written in English.”

“No, and they aren’t written in any of the other eight languages I speak either.” Mina slugged back the rest of her wine.

“At least it’s over now and you won’t have to worry about those forms anymore. Though tax season is in April, so…But I’ll help you with that so you don’t like burn something to the ground or anything.”

“That, would probably be a very good idea.” She muttered some curses under her breath in what sounded like German, Russian, and maybe Italian or Spanish, Beca wasn’t sure.

Beca stood up and patter Mina on the shoulder before grabbing their plates. “I’ve got dishes, don’t worry.”

“Thank you, mouse. Dishes are my least favorite part.” She smiled at Beca.

Beca looked over her shoulder. “Dishes are everyone’s least favorite part. Thank god for dishwashers.”

“Yes, yes indeed.” Mina followed her into the kitchen, carrying their glasses. “You want any more wine?”

“Bitte,” Beca said starting to rise off the plates. She loaded everything into the dish washer and started loading the rest of the leftover pasta into some Tupperware before throwing the pots into the sink to soak for a minute before she washed them. Beca dried off her hands before grabbing her glass of wine and taking another sip.

“I’m beginning to think I should just take your recommendations for anything wine or beer. This is good.” She held up the glass and took another drink.

“Helps to grow up in a culture that doesn’t vilify alcohol, but it is also trial and error.” Mina shrugged. “I’m glad you like it.”

Beca went over and started to scrub the pots. Tomato sauce always managed to be a bitch even if it wasn’t stuck on. She scrunched her nose, but she managed to get through it and then onto the pasta pot before she was done once more.

“Yeah, a lot better than the boxed stuff.”

Mina looked vaguely horrified. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

“What, are you some sort of wine snob?” Beca fought to keep a straight face.

“It’s just there are bottles of wine that are on the same price level that actually don’t taste like death. Why would you do that to yourself?”

“Because college, dude.” Beca laughed. “A box of wine is like five liters and a bottle is one. It’s economics. You want the most alcohol for the least amount of money because everyone is broke in college. Everyone.”

“Even when I didn’t have a great amount of money I was above _that_. I have standards.”

“Well good to know you have high standards.” Beca gestured at herself with a smug smile.

Mina rolled her eyes but didn’t object, which made Beca feel that much better about today. Her head was probably going to burst sometimes soon, but she was ok with that so long as she had a good time before that happened.

“Come on, movie night, engel?” Beca asked, heading towards the living room already. “I totally get to pick this time since we watched like sixty percent of Battle Star over the weekend.”

“I am fine with that, so long as it isn’t a horror movie.”

Beca cursed internally but just shrugged. There went her plans to see if Mina actually hated horror movies because she was scared of them instead of her claimed reason that they sucked. But oh well, it had been a spur of the moment thing anyway. Mostly because Mina in her lap sounded like a great idea. Then again, if she picked the right movie that might happen anyway in a completely different context…

“Ok, cool, I really didn’t have anything mind yet.” Which was mostly right since horror was off the table she was sort of scrambling for a movie idea. Hopefully Netflix would save her ass from being completely clueless.

She flopped down on the couch and turned on the TV scrolling through Netflix. No, noooo god that was a movie only stupid teenaged boys watched, dear god not The Human Centipede she didn’t want to throw up, movie she’d seen before actually, Disney movie and she wasn’t in the mood, Interstellar, 13 going on 30, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas not happening, a couple more foreign films she didn’t know how to pronounce, and seemingly every Mission Impossible movie ever. Well, might as well keep the space theme going.

She clicked on Interstellar and sat back. Beca set her glass to the side and scooted closer to Mina, curling into her side. The woman was a virtual space heater. It was wonderful in the air-conditioned cool of their apartment.

“Not what I thought you’d pick, mouse,” Mina whispered as the movie started.

“I mean it does have Anne Hathaway in it. What’s not to love? But mostly I was tired of scrolling and it’s the one that looked the best.”

Mina chuckled and wrapped her arm around Beca’s shoulder. “I see. Well, let us hope you picked a good one, ja?”

Beca snorted and cuddled further into Mina’s embrace as the movie opened to the first scene.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning Beca opened her phone at work and tapped her fingers on her desk for a few seconds. Well, Veronica had said to text her in a few hours. And it had been more than a few hours. And they were supposed to work on this song together. So she had every right to text her. But that didn’t make reaching out to another person first any easier.

Man up, Mitchell, she thought to herself before typing out a quick “Hey, it’s Beca from the studio. How’s it going?” and sending it before she could really think any more of it. She put her phone to the side and took a deep breath. And now she had more than enough demos to occupy her time before she checked her phone again. She wasn’t going to sit there and stare at it and hope that no one executed her for a social faux pas or anything. That wasn’t what an adult did. Right?

God, who even knew anymore.

She shook herself and popped the first disk in set to work. She got through a few decent demos, nothing groundbreaking enough to get a deal, but nothing that made her ears bleed, before she reached for her phone, holding her breath. There was a message notification and Beca didn’t know whether to feel relieved or more anxious. Jesus, it wasn’t like she was texting Mina for the first time or anything. Then again, that had been worse. Those first few snaps and texts as Mina was leaving were still like they were together, but then after Beca was back in the states it took a while for her to feel completely comfortable with texting Mina. She was just so perfect and Beca loved her a lot and she didn’t want to fuck it up. That was worse than this. She could handle this.

She tapped the notification and waited as the message opened. “Got something down, now I’m just playing with words and breaks to make it flow better, you know?”

“Oh yeah, totally. If you need any outside eyes to help I’m totally up for it.”

Beca put her phone aside again, still on edge, but a little less now that Veronica hadn’t asked what the fuck she was doing messaging her. Another demo down and she looked at her phone again.

“Not ready for anyone to see it just yet, but I’ll send it to you when I am. Music writing’s a bitch to get right, you know?”

Oh yeah, Beca knew. She could do the music part of it pretty well, but lyrics, fuck them. Beca sometimes wondered if she went into the wrong branch of music, not often, and not seriously, but sometimes lyrics made her want to be a classical composer instead of a fucking music composer. But classical wasn’t her beat so she’d put up with it. The more she got into electronic music, the less lyrics there were anyway.

“Yeah, I get you. It’s a bitch and a half and everyone always thinks it’s so damn easy.”

“Ugh, I know right? It’s ridiculous,” Veronica sent back right away. “Like seriously my brain is scrambled into fifteen different pieces right now and my eyes are burning, but yeah it’s easy,” came a second later.

“Been there. My girlfriend’s heard enough bitching from me in the last three months about it to probably last a lifetime, but she’s always helpful. She’s great.”

“Must be nice to have someone like that. She the one you wrote the last song about?”

“Yeah,” Beca typed out, looking around her station, hoping that no one would be a little snitch about her using her phone. Technically she was texting Veronica about work related stuff. Or at that was how the conversation started out. She wasn’t sure that was where the conversation was staying, but whatever. “She is. She’s finally in the US now.”

“Oh that must be a well spring of inspiration.”

“It is and it isn’t, you know? I feel like I might be just repeating myself with all the sunshine and happiness lyrics.”

Beca really needed to get through more demos. She put her phone aside again. As interesting as this conversation was she needed to work. They wouldn’t keep her around just to be a pretty face and then she wouldn’t get to write songs at all.

She listened to another two demos before she glanced one too many times at her phone. Ugh, fine, if she was going to be distracted demos only last like five minutes. She could alternate. It would get work done and she could talk.

“I think you’ll be fine. Sometimes when you think you’re saying the same thing over and over it’s just because you’re writing it. Other times it’s because it’s shit, but you get better at figuring out the distinction as you log more time in the business, you know?”

“I hope. Not like smoopy songs about love and whatever don’t sell, but that’s not all I want to be.”

“And I don’t want to be all fun dance songs either. But there’s a balance out there somewhere.”

Beca managed to get through her daily allotment of demos while talking to Veronica. They did actually work on the lyrics a little bit, but neither of them were truly happy with them. There was something missing from them, but neither of them could pin down what it was. They both agreed to just let it rest for a day or so and come back to it. And so for most of the rest of the day they just talked about whatever. The girl was pretty chill for someone who called themselves Veronica Lovely. Then again, what could she say about that, her girlfriend was known internationally by the name Kommissar, so there was a stone and a glass house in there somewhere.

At the end of the day she gathered up her papers and stuffed them in her bag. She had a meeting tomorrow, but it was just the normal weekly floor meeting where tasks were handed out on incoming things. Beca already had the Nikolai thing and the Veronica thing on the side, she probably wouldn’t get anything else, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared. She yawned widely and wondered what in the world Mina had fixed for dinner today. She’d had the whole day home to do whatever. Then again, Beca didn’t care what there was to eat as long as Mina herself was there. She just wanted to snuggle up again, sans movie this time, and just talk. That sounded so nice.

Beca smiled and finished the last few things she had to do before she headed out. She had a fabulously hot girlfriend to get home to and nothing was going to stop her. Unless her boss pulled her aside, but that was only self-preservation and he’d left earlier anyway. She was free and clear for cuddling, and that just might be the highlight of her day.

 

 

Almost a week later Beca woke up to Mina softly padding around the room. “Mina, what’re you doing?” Beca mumbled into her pillow, eyes slipping shut again almost immediately.

“First day of classes, liebling. I have a lab session that starts at eight thirty that I have to be there half an hour early for to set everything up, remember?”

“Oh right,” Beca said, yawning.

“Yes, oh right.” Mina leaned down and kissed Beca on the forehead. “Your alarm will go off in an hour. I set it to extra loud so you have no excuse to sleep through it. Ok?”

“Ja, have a good day, engel.”

“I will try, liebling. You have a good day as well. You are meeting with the Veronica girl today to talk about the song aren’t you?”

“Uh huh, lunch meeting. I’ll text you about it later and let you know how it went.”

“Good, I will see you later.” She kissed Beca once more before she walked out of the room. As soon as it was silent once more Beca was out like a light.

 

When she woke up again, her alarm was blaring like it’d been going off for a few minutes straight. Beca hit it hard enough that she thought that maybe she’d have to buy a new one later, but at least it was blessedly silent. She sat up slowly, groaning. Ugh. Why did mornings exist? She liked it better when Mina was here to wake her up with a kiss and a few gentle caresses. That was good. She liked that. Good thing that this lab was only once a week and most other mornings Mina would be starting around the same time Beca did.

She turned at looked at her clock. Her alarm had been going off for seven minutes straight before she’d managed to hit it. Wow. That was a new record. She was going to have to move fast to get ready on time, but really, she didn’t feel like moving too fast.

She crawled out of bed and yawned, stumbling into the bathroom. She smiled seeing Mina’s things around the other sink in the bathroom. Even when she wasn’t there, she was there. It was a nice feeling. Beca knew from being with Jesse that the little things were always the best things, but with Mina it was ten times more important to her. She yawned again and set to brushing her teeth.

Twenty minutes later she walked out to drag on some clothes. She picked what she thought was best, some nice slacks and a dressy-casual shirt paired some ballet flats. She was meeting with Veronica for lunch after all. She should look a bit better than her normal record label chic. She gathered her stuff slowly, looking at the clock again, brain still feeling like it was running at a snail’s pace. She was totally going to have to make the intern go fetch her some coffee. With a fuck ton of milk because even after college all-nighters Beca couldn’t stand the taste of coffee without enough milk and sugar that she wasn’t sure it was even coffee anymore.

She grabbed her normal granola bar and was out the door, only a couple minutes later than normal. If traffic was on her side, she could cut off a few minutes by speeding. Which probably wasn’t the greatest idea since LA cops were jackasses about speeding in some places, but didn’t give a damn about others. No, go ninety-five on the highway, it’s fine. Go thirty in a twenty-five and suddenly you were killing tiny bunnies on the side of the road or something. Whatever, highway speeding was fine.

She made it to the label right on time. She was impressed with her speeding abilities. Which was probably going to bite her in the ass one day, and if Mina knew she’d probably get a lecture on how she should be more careful and then a pleading look that said all Mina wanted was for Beca to be safe so they could grow old together and that look would totally break Beca and she would never speed again and she’d probably be late for work every single day, but it would be worth it. But she wasn’t going to tell Mina for now and everything would be all right.

Beca snorted. If either one of them was going to be the true speed demon, Beca had Mina pegged for it. After all she was the one from the country that thought a highway without a speed limit was a fucking dandy idea. But then again the image of Mina in a very fast, very sexy sports car, driving at insane speeds was a turn on. She really needed to make sure she wasn’t a teenaged boy one of these days. Geesh.

She sat down at her desk and pulled over some demos. She’d gone a couple days without getting a real stinker. She could feel that today her luck would probably end on that subject. Whatever, it was the business. She looked down at her clock. It was just past nine in the morning. Mina’s lab lasted until noon. Ugh, that was going to suck not being able to send her messages in the middle of the day. She had gotten used to that rather quickly once Mina was actually in the same time zone as her. Oh well, she’d text Mina on her way to lunch and hoped that would tide her over until she got home. It wouldn’t, but she had to hope.

Third demo in her luck did end and she practically ripped her ear phones off. It was something that was trying to pass as death metal, but what it really sounded like was just death. And nails on a chalkboard. And a very loud jet engine passing two feet overhead. All at once. In her ears. Ugh, there was no way she was going to be able to listen to that whole thing without getting a splitting headache, and metal wasn’t even her thing anyway. How it had gotten into her pile she didn’t know. She wondered how hard it would be to pawn it off on one of the guys who actually knew what good metal music sounded like. Honestly, what was a metal band doing trying to go pro in America anyway? They would totally be better off trying somewhere in Scandinavia. Probably Norway would be best.

Yeah, whatever it cost her, even if it was three demos for the price of one, it would be totally worth not having to listen to another second of that. She got up and walked around, spotting Scott and putting on her best flirty smile. Maybe she could get out of this without actually having to take more demos than it was worth. It wasn’t super common knowledge that she had a girlfriend, and she was going to use that to her advantage.

“Scott, hey, you know metal music right?” She bit her lip and leaned forward just a bit. The shirt she was wearing wasn’t super low cut, but it was loose enough that she knew the girls were a little more on display.

He blinked and nodded. “I mean, yeah, of course.” He smiled at her.

She held out the demo. “I just don’t know anything about it and I got this demo and to me it just sounds like screaming and I don’t know what to write about it. Could you take it off my hands? I’d be glad if you did.” She shrugged, lifting up a few key assets higher for just a second. Thank god for Stacie. She’d watched her for years, getting exactly what she wanted from guys with a few well timed comments and actions. Stacie had taught her enough that she could probably get what she wanted, at least from Scott.

She watched his face as he looked at the demo and then looked up at her, before looking back to the demo again. “Uh, yeah, sure, it’ll only be a few minutes. I can totally do that for you.”

“Oh, great, thank you so much. I wouldn’t want a good band to go unnoticed just because my area isn’t metal, you know? You’re the best.”

He nodded and set down the demo. Beca turned around and headed back to her desk, expression instantly morphing. Haha, sucker. She smirked sat down again. The fucking patriarchy sucked and all, but if she could play it to her advantage at some points, well, she was damn well going to. Beca wasn’t an idiot.

The minutes ticked by until lunch at an agonizing pace. She almost wished there was fucking meeting today because at least that would eat up a chunk of her time. But the next Nikolai meeting wasn’t until Thursday and her boss hadn’t officially brought her into the Veronica meetings. Considering it was a little late in the game for that, Beca wasn’t really offended over that. She would still get her writing credits and that was worth its weight in gold without all of the humdrum of meetings.

But then finally it was noon and she shot up from her desk. She stopped by Mack’s office on her way out. “Hey, I’m meeting with Veronica for lunch. We’re talking about lyrics for that one song. I think we’ve almost got it locked up. Do you mind if I’m a little late getting back?”

Mack looked up at her. “If you bring me back lyrics, you can be as late as you want.”

“Awesome, thanks.”

And with that Beca was out into the sunny LA day. It wasn’t really worth it to drive. It was only a couple blocks and she still had thirty minutes before she’d actually promised to meet Veronica in some hipster-ish café that only served vegan meals. Though Beca heard their food was still banging even if they didn’t have cheese. She would take it, really, so long as it lived up to the reputation and wasn’t just hipster hype.

She walked slowly, sticking mostly to the shade. It was hot out, but in LA when it wasn’t hot out there was some sort of apocalypse going on. It wasn’t really anything she couldn’t handle after Atlanta weather. There wasn’t humidity today and therefore she was fine, if a tiny bit sweaty. It wasn’t going to matter too much.

Veronica was already at a table, waiting for her when she made it there. She walked over and flopped down into the other chair.

“Hey,” she smiled. “Sorry I’m a little late.”

Veronica looked down at her phone and the time. “Actually you’re a couple minutes early. I just come here to hang out sometimes, you know? It has a nice atmosphere for writing.”

Beca nodded. “Oh ok, I get that.”

A waitress came over and took her drink order and refilled Veronica’s glass before walking off again.

“So what’s good here food-wise. I really don’t know anything about vegan food, other than what vegan people don’t eat,” Beca said, picking up the menu.

“You really can’t go wrong here. It’s all good. The lasagna is usually what I get, though I’ve heard the pizza is great, and the sandwich, the Amazing, I think it’s called, one of my friends is sort of addicted to.”

“Huh, cool. Can’t go wrong with pizza.” She smiled and looked over the menu. Something else caught her attention right away. Vegan nachos. Yup, she was sold. Nachos. Yum.

She put down her menu and looked over at Veronica. She had a notebook in front of her tapping her pen on the page.

“Stuck on something?” Beca asked.

“Just word choice, nothing huge now. I have all the ideas down, I’m just going through and seeing what sounds better. So far there’s really only one verse that bothers me enough to fuck with it, and it’s being a bit difficult.”

“Want some fresh eyes?”

Veronica pushed the notebook her way. “It’s that verse we talked about the one that really ties it together and makes the whole concept of fun, difference and that slight fear associated with it work. It’s so important that I want every word to be perfect but I just.” She threw her hands up.

“Ok, cool, I know what you’re talking about.” She looked down at the paper and started to read over everything. She started to bob her head along with what she was reading. It was good and it would definitely fit the music she’d written. Veronica had done a great job with it. But then Beca hit the verse she was talking about and the flow skipped just a little bit, not enough to fuck up the whole thing and it could totally be edited in the booth to sound just fine, but Veronica was right. It did need changed.

_“And I’m on my own now_

_Everything is clear_

_I can be anything I want to be here_

_In this too big city_

_From a too small town, oh_

_So I’ll live it up_

_With faces I’ve never known_

_And somewhere along the line this will be my home_

_But until then I’ll enjoy my freedom_

_I can be anything I want to be here”_

Beca pointed to the line ‘So I’ll live it up.’ “This one, it cuts off too soon. There needs to be one more word to make it sound better. Other than that, I think you’ve really done a good job.”

Veronica took back the notebook and bit her lip. “You’re right,” she said after a long moment. “That is the line that’s tripping me up the most. Thanks.” She frowned at it for another second. “Any suggestions what word to use?”

“I think you could just use the word here again. It puts it at every fourth line and creates sort of rhythm that way.”

“You don’t think that would be too much repetition?”

“Veronica, there’s literally a song that only uses the word ass, over and over again and yet people still bought it. I think repeating here three times will be just fine.”

Veronica wrote here where Beca said, but then she frowned a bit harder and scribbled out a few other things, writing in others quickly and smiling. She sat back after a second and pushed the paper towards Beca. “There. That’s it.”

Beca read the paper again with the changes.

_“And I’m on my own now_

_Everything is clear_

_I can be anything I want to be here_

_In this too big city_

_From a too small town, oh_

_So I’ll live it up here_

_With faces I’ve never known_

_And some time soon, this will be my home_

_But until then I am free_

_I can be anything I want to be here”_

Beca looked up. “Yeah, that’s great.” She smiled at Veronica. “That flows even better now, I can hear it matching up perfectly with the beat I laid down.”

Veronica nodded excitedly. “Yeah! It’ll be great. I’ve got to talk to Mack about getting some studio time to record it.”

“Oh, um, I told him I was meeting with you and he said if I brought back completed lyrics basically I could fall off the face of the planet for like hours at the time, but the point here really was, I can bring him a copy and he’ll probably call you right away and everything to work out some time. I know he wants your album wrapped up soonish.”

She nodded. “We’ve still got two more songs, not counting this one, but I think he’s almost done with another that he’s been working on with the crew that’s producing the whole album. If it looks like the album is going to sell enough he’ll pull three more out of his ass, for a deluxe version and that’ll be a bit chaotic considering he always makes those decisions like two months out from release, but it’ll be worth it, you know? Finally made it another step closer to being a Big Name if they’re willing to shell out for a deluxe version.”

Beca nodded. “I get that. I think you’ll get there, if not with this one, then the next one. You are really good, especially the stuff you’ve written yourself. You can tell your heart’s in it through the speakers.”

“Thanks.” Veronica smiled wider. “I want to get to the point where I can write all my stuff. Like, it’s nice having help and all, like this and what we’ve been doing is great, but just getting handed something sucks. I get that that’s what happens to most artists when they aren’t big, you know, but I got into this so I could write and sing and whatever else.”

“As long as you don’t boot me out of my job, I’m totally fine with that,” Beca joked.

“Oh no, never. You’re actually the first producer I’ve worked with that I’ve liked on more than a professional level. It’s like a breath of fresh air.”

The waitress appeared again and set down Beca’s drink and pulled out her order pad and looked at the both of them. “Ready to order.”

Beca looked at Veronica who nodded. She gestured for Veronica to go first. The singer smiled before ordering and Beca followed after. Beca still hadn’t yet gotten over being thankful that the waiters at restaurants she went to now actually spoke English without being prompted. Being in Copenhagen was great, and hearing Mina flex all those language muscles was even better, but damn she really did like knowing what was going on around her and actually being able to read the damn menu like the adult she was. Sort of anyway.

She jumped as her phone vibrated in her pocket. No matter how many times she had the damn thing there she still never quite got used to it. Veronica looked at her with an amused smile.

“Sorry, phone vibrated and I just sort of have this great twitchy reaction whenever that happens so I look like a complete idiot.”

Veronica laughed. “Yeah, I know those feels. Girlfriend?” she asked.

“Probably, I texted her while I was walking here asking how her first day was going.”

“Oh yeah, classes did start a few places today. Where’s she go?”

“Caltech. She’s going for her Ph.D. in bioengineering.”

Veronica just whistled.

“I know right? She’s like crazy smart and she’s also a music person. Some days it feels like I’m not even on her level.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are. You’re a great person, at least from what I’ve seen.” Veronica shrugged.

“Thanks, you’re pretty cool too.”

Beca could swear this was what making friends was like, but it had been so long since she had actually voluntarily made friends, and not been dragged into a cult-like society where she sort of just had friends shoved upon her, that she wasn’t really sure. It felt nice, but also slightly terrifying. Now that, she did remember.

She bit her lip, thinking about her next comment for a long second. “So, um, I know you write music obviously, but what else do you do?”

Veronica smiled. “Um, god, I’m sort of crappy describing what I do. I always make myself sound like the lamest person on earth.”

Beca snorted. “Yeah, I’m the same way. Or maybe now all I would do would be to talk about Mina.” She shrugged. “Not like I have much going on besides Netflix and baking.”

Veronica sat up a bit. “Oh, you bake too?”

“Yeah, it will probably be why I’m like rolling around instead of walking by the time I’m forty, but baking is so tasty.”

“Oh, cool, I really like to bake too. What’s your favorite thing to make?” Veronica sat forward just the littlest bit.

“Pinwheel cookies. They’re great. I used to bake them all the time during finals when I needed an excuse not to study for a couple hours.”

“Wait, what are those?”

“You know those cookies where you roll up chocolate dough in vanilla dough so they kinda look like a cinnamon roll when they’re done?”

“Oh right, roll ups. That’s what my mom always called them, though I can see how pinwheel would work now.”

Beca smiled. “Yeah, what do you like to make?”

And from there they managed to talk straight through lunch and way past Beca’s allotted lunch hour. But she did have the lyrics to bring back to her boss, so she wasn’t really worried as she left the café an hour and a half later. Vegan carrot cake was damn good, she probably had a new friend, and her day was going fucking awesome. She actually smiled all the way back instead of wearing her normal resting bitch face expression. She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Mina about it all and hear about her first day and just—everything.

She arrived back in the studio and handed Mack the lyrics. “Miracle worker,” he said shortly. “I’ll email you when we have a session set up. You should be there again since it’s your track.”

And that was the icing on the cake. 


	19. Chapter 19

Beca walked into their apartment later and sighed, feeling the cool air on her skin. Evening was always the worst with the pavement reflecting heat back at you and the sun still pretty high in the sky. She didn’t understand how anyone could exercise at this time of day, but she had seen at least three people jogging just in her neighborhood. Fucking crazy people.

“Engel?” She called out, walking further into the apartment.

There was no answer, but Beca knew that Mina had to be home by now. Her last class had ended at two and her research days were Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, so she couldn’t have gotten held up there. Unless her professor had called her in for another orientation, or some such. But then Mina would have texted her about that.

Beca pulled out her phone just to check that she didn’t have any texts from Mina that she had missed. She didn’t. Worry started to crop up in her mind. Was Mina ok? Had she gotten in an accident? Did the rental she had break down? They were going to focus more on finding Mina a used car this weekend, but was their timeline too long and something had happened? Beca tried to remember if she’d seen the car in the parking lot, but couldn’t recall. She’d been too focused on getting home.

Ok, there was no need to panic just because Mina didn’t answer. It was ridiculous. She could have headphone on or something. She needed to calm her ass down and not be a complete idiot. She walked into the kitchen, but everything was dark. Obviously no Mina. She walked through to the dining room and living room to the same result. The seed of worry started to grow just a little bit bigger.

She started back for the bedroom when she saw the sliver of light under the door to Mina’s little office. Breath wooshed out of her and she felt like a complete dumbass for thinking anything was wrong, but she was still ridiculously relieved. She walked up to the door and knocked, but Mina didn’t answer. Beca scowled and tried the door knob. The door opened easily to reveal Mina at her desk, reading from one of her textbooks.

Mina didn’t even look up at the sound of the opening door. Beca was impressed with the level of focus, really. In school she’d had to lock herself in her room with her laptop elsewhere just to get anything at all done.

“Mina,” she said softly. Nothing. “Mina,” she said again, a little louder, drawing out the word. And still Mina didn’t even twitch. Beca was starting to wonder if she was going to have to get out the cymbals. Not that she had cymbals, but she was sure she could figure something else out. “Mina.” She was just below a shout now. And nope.

She was obviously going to have to poke the woman to get her attention, but Beca could see Mina being one of those people who like almost murdered you if you poked them without them knowing. Well, she could throw something. Yeah, that was a good idea. As long as she could actually fucking aim, which if she threw something big like a pillow hopefully wouldn’t be too hard.

She walked into their room, grabbed Mina’s pillow, and walked back into her office and stood there again, waiting to see if Mina would actually get with the program. The answer was still no. So she hefted the pillow and tossed it hard enough to hit Mina in the back.

Mina jumped and let out a tiny shriek that was the cutest thing Beca had ever heard. She turned quickly and relaxed a bit when she saw Beca.

Beca froze. Mina had on glasses. Really cute, adorably sexy, glasses. Oh my god as if her girlfriend couldn’t have been any more perfect before, Jesus, she just raised the bar again.

“Mein Gott, du hast mich zu Tode erschreckt.” 

“Huh, so I can scare the English out of you and fuck the English out of you. Nice to know.

"Да, но ты не испугала меня на столько, чтобы я забыла русский.” 

Beca just squinted. “Um, Russian? Maybe Polish? Do they sound sort of alike? I have no idea dude. I’m doing well with knowing as much German as I do.” Beca just stared at Mina and waited for her to answer.

“Yes, it was Russian. And Russian and Polish are similar enough that once you understand one you can understand about half or so of the other.”

“Oh, huh, cool.”

“It’s like that with Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian as well.”

“So basically you speak like ten languages plus the ones you know bits and pieces of.”

“Understand and speaking are different things. Danish has a tendency to slur its words more. They are still three separate languages, though I’m sure since I know one I could probably pick up the other two without much struggle.” Mina shrugged.

“Yeah, ok, like it’s no big deal.” Beca walked more into the room and positioned herself between Mina’s legs. “Hello, beautiful.” She leaned down and kissed Mina, sighing at just how right the world was in that moment.

“Hallo, maus,” Mina said, pulling back.

“What were you so focused on that I had to throw a pillow at you to get your attention?” She ran her finger along the sides of Mina’s glasses. “And where did these come from. I haven’t seen them before.”

“I only wear them to read, that’s why you haven’t seen them before.” Mina looked up at Beca and arched an eyebrow. “See something you like then, little mouse?”

“Uh, I might.” An image of Mina dressed up in a skirt suit with her hair tied back in the severe bun from her DSM days and the glasses on popped up in her mind. Oh no, oh no. She was going to be ruined for the rest of the night because holy fuck that was a hot picture. Oh my god. Talk about sexy librarian.

A smirk curled onto Mina’s face. “Well then, I’ll keep that in mind.” She looked down to the textbook still on her desk. “I was just starting on some of the reading I’ll have to have done by next class, that was all. Sometimes I get very involved in my work and lose track of the outside world completely. I assume you called me quite a lot before you decided to throw something.” She scooped her pillow up off the floor.

“Uh yeah, I called out at the door, then banged around the apartment looking for you, because I knew you should be home. I, uh, actually got a little worried there for a little bit because you weren’t responding. But then I saw the light under the door here and found you. And called for you like another three times and the last time I was basically shouting. Thus the pillow.” She gestured at the fluffy object in question, now resting on Mina’s lap.

“I see, I suppose that was proper recourse then.” Mina stretched and stood. “I am hungry. Come, mouse, and I’ll start dinner. My brain needs a break anyway before I try to read anymore. Too much information rattling around right now.”

Beca followed her out of the room and into the kitchen. She flopped down on one of the island stools and watching Mina pull somethings out of the fridge and set to work.

“So, how was your first day? How did that heinously early lab go?”

“It was fine. The freshman are either scared witless with their eyes wide looking like deer in the tail lights—”

“Headlights,” Beca corrected.

“Right, I suppose that makes more sense, but anyway. Or they think they’re all the shit and know exactly what they are doing.” Mina shook their head. “They were disillusioned very quickly.”

Beca laughed. “I’m sure some freshman boy almost shat himself when you glared at him, am I right?”

Mina nodded. “Oh yes, several in fact. I’m sure the German accent helped a bit with the intimidation tactics, though there were also a few who looked like they were swooning.”

“Uh, that’s totally my job. I am the professional swooner over you. And aggressive complimenter. And uncool nerd.”

Mina looked over at Beca and smiled. “You are. They pale in comparison to you, mouse. They are hopelessly young and you are much, much prettier and actually of legal drinking age in this country.”

Beca snorted. “Oh yeah, but being underage is not going to stop them. It didn’t stop me.”

Mina waved it off. “So long as they don’t come drunk to lab I do not care. The rest of class after I scared some of them went smoothly. It was mostly just introductions and assigning lab drawers, basic things, and then a safety quiz. It didn’t last the entire four hours, but of course I had to be there all four hours anyway.”

“Ouch.”

“At least I know that I am being paid to do so. Takes some of the sting out of it, ja?”

“Ja. So how were your first two classes?”

“Interesting. Chemical Biophysics seems like it will be a challenge, most definitely, some of the concepts involved weren’t my specialty in undergrad, but I hope that this time around they will be more comprehensible because it is most assuredly relevant to what I want to do. The class on tissue building with nanomaterials didn’t seem as if it would be as hard and the professor seemed approachable and funny, which always helps.”

Beca nodded. “Definitely. Those were always the classes that didn’t feel like as much work.”

“Exactly.”

“Your third class is on Wednesday, right?”

“Yes, that’s the one you read the first chapter for. It should be interesting as well, but you never know. The textbook is surprisingly readable, so if the professor is subpar hopefully that will help. Though the hope of going to such a prestigious university is that no professor is subpar, but reality versus expectation is always quite different in academia.”

Beca nodded. “Yeah, college professor dad, remember. I got to hear all about that as a kid.”

“Mmm, yes I suppose you did.” Mina splashed some olive oil into a pan and let it heat up for a few seconds before throwing in onions and sweating them for a few minutes.

“How are you feeling about your first day in lab tomorrow?”

Mina smiled, still watching the pan in front of her. “It should be interesting. The facilities were just wonderful when I saw them the first time. Most of this first year will really just be getting ahold of the ropes and figuring out exactly what I want to do, but it still should be exciting. Definitely a change from the last few years. I did miss being in the lab a bit while with DSM, but not a great deal for obvious reasons. There wasn’t much time to do such things.”

Beca’s face scrunched a bit. Being in lab was her least favorite part of undergrad chem, but to each their own, she supposed. And Mina probably looked ridiculously cute in a lab coat and googles.

Mina turned towards Beca for a second, reach out for a package of what looked like ground beef and opening it with sure movements. “And how was your day, liebling?”

Beca smiled. “Good, really good. Veronica and I finished the lyrics for the song. Well, more like Veronica did and I just pointed to like one thing and said change it and suddenly the verse was different, but not a lot different, just better, you know?”

“I think I get what you are trying to say, yes.” Mina plopped the meat down into the pan, moving to wash her hands quickly before going back and breaking up the hamburger.

“Yeah, well, anyway, I went back and delivered the lyrics to my boss and he offered to let me help him produce again. It was great. Though I think I might have actually made a friend for the first time in forever, which is also great, but I’m not sure how I did it. Again. It’s like college all over again.”

Mina laughed. “You became friends with me mostly by trying to insult me. Friendship works in strange ways.”

“True, but that didn’t stay just friendship for long.” Beca’s eyes swept of Mina’s form, licking her lips. Mina had changed out of her school clothes into shorts and a tank top and Beca could totally appreciate the amount of skin that revealed to her eyes.

“No, but you still are my friend, mouse. Do you not think so?”

“Oh, no I totally do. Like every romantic relationship should be founded on friendship and all that jazz, it’s just different, you know?”

“I understand, yes. But you and this Veronica girl then, you think you are becoming friends?”

“I think so. We stayed there after we finished the lyrics just talking for like an hour and half and it wasn’t awkward. Actually, there was a conversation last week where we just sort of sat down and bonded a bit too right after we first agreed to work on the lyrics and junk.” Beca shrugged. “I don’t know. But that’s a lot more than I can say about a lot of people. If we keep talking then, yeah, I have my first friend here in LA.” Beca twirled a vaguely sarcastic celebratory finger in the air. “Look at me, being a well-adjusted adult.”

Mina laughed at that. “Yes, look at you go.” She dumped in some chopped up tomatoes, a sprinkle of what was probably cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, peas, and carrots into the pan and stirred everything in.

“What about you, meet any people you can be friends with?” Beca shook her head at her own ridiculousness.

“Perhaps, but it is only the first day. There was a boy in chemical biophysics already trying to put together a study group, but I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. Something about him seems…off. So I declined that invitation rather firmly.”

“Firmly?”

“No, and then the glare you like the make fun of so much. He got the hint, but not before mumbling under his breath that he was ‘just asking, bitch.’” Mina rolled her eyes.

“I’ll fight him. Totally will, just for you.”

“He’s two inches taller than I am. Are you sure tiny mouse?”

“You know tiny people can kick ass too, right? We’re totally faster than you big lunking giants. We could like knife you before you’d even move.”

Mina glanced over at Beca with an amused look on her face. “Oh, I’d like to see you try.”

“I’m going to have to take a self-defense class before you leave me alone about all this, aren’t I?”

“I make no guarantees that it would stop even then.”

“Ugh.” Beca leaned forward and rested her head on the counter. “It’s a good thing you’re so damn perfect you know. Otherwise you might be completely horrible.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure,” Mina deadpanned.

Beca glanced up as Mina stirred some spinach. It wilted quickly and then she placed a bunch of was looked like biscuit dough rounds over top of everything and put it into the oven.

“What in the world are you making anyway?”

“I believe it’s called a grunt, but I’m not sure. It’s almost like Shepard’s Pie, but with biscuits on top instead of potatoes. I’ve played with the original recipe I had and brought in more things that I like so it’s tastier in my opinion.” She shrugged. “It should be done in another twenty minutes or so.”

“Awesome. I mean it smells great. I’ve just never actually seen anything like that.”

Mina walked over and leaned on the island across from Beca. She stretched just enough to kiss Beca before leaning back once again.

“I love you,” Beca said, words just bursting out.

“Ich liebe dich auch.”

Beca reached out and gabbed Mina’s hand. “Why do you always say I love you in German? Not that I don’t like it or anything, I’m just curious.”

“I know how to say I love you in…fourteen different languages I believe, it’s an easy phrase to learn after all, but the one that I learned first is German. It means more to me for some reason because of that. And you mean the world to me, so I think it’s only fitting to say that I love you in my native language.”

Beca melted just a little bit. “Aw, you’re just…too cute.” She snorted. “For a big scary German you’re basically just a fluffy teddy bear on the inside.”

Mina shrugged. “I won’t deny that. At least to those that I love. Bears have claws to deal with everyone who wrongs them.”

“True. But you’re still my fluffy teddy bear. Which as comfortable as you are to sleep with, that fits rather well now that I’m thinking about it.”

Mina snorted. “Oh yes, you do latch onto me as if I was a teddy bear.”

“Like you don’t love it.” Beca stuck out her tongue.

Mina’s face morphed into a soft smile. “I didn’t say anything about not liking it, now did I? I don’t recall sleeping better than I have since coming home.” She squeezed Beca’s hand.

“Same. You really are comfortable.” Beca laughed. She slid from her stool and walked around the island and straight into Mina’s arms. Mina hugged Beca to her, bodies fitting perfectly together despite their difference in size. Beca rested her head on Mina’s chest, hearing Mina’s heart beating under her ear in the silence of their apartment, smelling the underlying scent of cinnamon on Mina’s skin, soaking in her presence. She felt so at peace being held like this, more than she ever had before.

Beca tilted her head back and Mina was there in a second, kissing her, lightly, lovingly, warming Beca from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. She wanted to be wrapped up in that feeling for the rest of eternity, safe, sound, and loved. They drew apart a minute later with content sighs.

One of Mina’s hands came up to lift Beca’s chin so their eyes met. “Come, mouse, why don’t we clean up everything while we wait for dinner to finish. We won’t have to worry about so much later.”

“Or we could just stay like this for a short eternity and not move at all. I like that idea.” Beca snuggled back into Mina’s chest.

“But if we clean up now then we have more free time later for things of this nature.”

Beca frowned into Mina’s chest, the fabric of the tank top rubbing against her face. “Fine, you have a point here.”

“I know I do. I always have a point.”

Beca rolled her eyes and stepped back. “You’re a dirty rotten liar. You can’t always have a point. I’ve seen you be silly before. I am your girlfriend after all. And I’m sure I could always get Pieter’s number and ask him for more instances.”

“You are right, I suppose. But almost always I have a point. Are you happy with that modifier now?”

“Better.”

She started to gather the dirty dishes and threw them in the sink so she could rinse them off later, but Mina stepped up to the sink a second later and started doing that for her. She grabbed the rest of the things and put them in the sink, taking the things that Mina had rinsed and throwing them in the dishwasher. When Mina moved on to the bigger things that couldn’t be put in the dishwasher she grabbed a dish towel and started to dry and put away the rest.

They finished right as the timer went off for their dinner. Mina smiled at Beca. “See, not so bad, was it.”

Beca shrugged. “Still dishes dude. I don’t know what it is about dishes, but they fucking suck. I would rather do any other household chore but dishes.”

“Laundry, laundry is so much worse.” Mina walked over to the over and pulled on an oven mitt before pulling out their dinner.

Beca shook her head. “Why would you think that? Like you throw some stuff in the washer, go away and do other stuff for a while, and come back and throw everything in the dryer and then go to other stuff. The most annoying part is folding, but then all the clothes are warm and you can just like bury yourself in warm clothes and it’s nice.”

“Then you can do the laundry, liebling, if you don’t mind it. I will do anything else in exchange.”

“Clean the bathroom,” Beca challenged.

“Done.”

Beca took a step back. “Wow, you really do hate laundry.”

“I told you.” Mina took down two plates and scooped out two portions, setting one in front of Beca and the other one beside her. Mina climbed up on the other stool and sat down. “Fuck, drinks.”

Beca got up and walked to the fridge. “What do you want?”

“Just water is fine.”

Beca walked back over with two water bottles and sat down again. She dug into her food and moaned. She was going to have to keep Mina around just for the food. Jesus, it was good.

“You approve?” Mina asked, smug look on her face.

“You damn well know I do. It’s the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

“I thought I was the best thing you’d ever put in your mouth,” Mina said with a totally straight face.

Beca sucked in a breath. “Jesus, Mina, I meant food-wise.” She blushed hard and looked away. “Because yeah, otherwise you are the best thing I’ve put in my mouth.”

Mina laughed. “Good.”

“But seriously, this is great. But I can practically see your head swelling from here from all the praise.” Beca shoveled another bite of food into her mouth.

“Danke, maus, I do enjoy being good at things.” Mina smirked and sipped her water.

“Perfect at things you mean.”

“I doubt that, but thank you for your vote of confidence.”

Beca shook her head and started to eat more. Dinner passed in a mix of banter and continued stories about their days. She’d never thought she’d be so happy to be so…domestic, but here she was. It was odd, but it felt so right, it really didn’t matter.

They loaded their plates and silverware into the dishwasher forty-five minutes later. Mina walked up to Beca and kissed her cheek. “I want to finish the last half of that chapter before I do anything else. Keep a seat on the couch warm for me?”

Beca nodded. “Go be an insanely smart scientist. I can work on polishing up the other two songs I have going. I think I might have an idea about where to go with one of them lyrics-wise now.” And with the warm feeling inside of her, she did. She wasn’t sure if anyone was really going to pick up a song about warm fuzzy domesticity, but fuck it she was going to write it anyway.

“Good, good. You go be a brilliant music producer then.” Mina leaned down and kissed her before turning and exiting the kitchen.

Beca watched her go, eyes firmly glued to her ass. Well, there was a feeling that wasn’t warm and domestic. She smiled to herself and flicked off the lights in the kitchen. Time to get something done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Mein Gott, du hast mich zu Tode erschreckt. -my god you scared the life out of me  
> Да, но ты не испугала меня на столько, чтобы я забыла русский.-Yes, but you haven’t scared the Russian out of me.  
> Thanks to my irl friends for the Russian translation, y'all are lovely.


	20. Chapter 20

A month later Beca walked into the office, yawning. Early mornings sucked. If being a music producer didn’t require her to show up before noon it would be the absolute perfectest of perfect jobs, but as it was, everything in the world was on a diurnal schedule and so she only had a perfect job.

Mack called out for her as she walked by his office. It took Beca’s still half asleep mind a second to register what was going on and turn around to peek inside.

“What’s up?” She asked.

He motioned her in. “We finally got the production time for Veronica. She’s recording your song and another one we got done in the interim. There’s one more on her album before it’s done, but it’s very close to done. The marketing team is already starting to run mock ups for everything.”

“Oh, that’s awesome.” Beca smiled wide. The first album she had any tracks on and it was getting closer and closer to being finished. They were still probably at least six months out from a release, but that was closer than anything else. Nikolai’s album only had two complete songs done now.

“Yup, we’re dropping the first single in a month or so depending on the marketing crew. There should be about one every month and half after that until the album releases.”

Beca nodded, that was pretty standard.

“I’m thinking about using that first song you wrote as one of the singles.”

Beca’s eyes widened. “Whoa, really?” That was a huge deal. Singles were the first taste of an album. They had to be the strongest songs on the whole album to get everyone to buy the whole thing.

“Really. It’s a very good song. I have to talk to Veronica about it, but I don’t see why she’d disagree.”

“Wow, that’s…I don’t even have words for how awesome that would be.” Beca smiled. She didn’t see why Veronica would say no either. They’d been texting on and off since they’d finished the song and had lunch and coffee a few other times. It seemed like her original assessments had been right. She’d made a friend.

“Well, keep producing songs like that and it’ll be a regular occurrence. Anyway, another thing is that next week on Tuesday we’re recording both the new songs we have on deck. Be there.”

Beca stood. “Ok, definitely. See you then.”

She walked out of her boss’s office with a giant smile on her face. She pulled out her phone when she sat down at her desk. Mina would be in class by now, but she always put her phone on silent right as they both left the apartment. It should be safe to text her. If Mina’s phone was still on, she was going to kill Beca later, but she would risk it. She was so happy. She couldn’t have imagined that in four and a half months everything would work out like it had. She knew that she’d picked the right profession ages ago, but stuff like this really confirmed it.

“Hey, beautiful, guess who might have one of her songs be a single off an album? That’s right, me. I’m so fucking excited I can barely contain myself.”

Beca snorted at the irony of that statement as she calmly scooted into her desk and plugged in her headphones to her computer and selected the first demo of the day from her pile. It didn’t really look like she couldn’t contain herself, but at the same time on the inside it really was like that. As long as no one was a mind reader, though she was good and could actually maintain her reputation as a generally put together human being, which she was glad.

She pulled out her phone again and hovered over the group chat she had going with the Bellas. She probably shouldn’t text at work and the news would still be just as exciting once she got home, but fuck it. She was a productive worker almost every day. She could slack off just a little right now to share her inner triumph with everyone else.

“Guess who might have a single before my first year of work is even up?” She sent and then set her phone aside for a minute as she loaded up another demo.

Of course by the time she picked back up her phone there were five messages.

“Oh my god, seriously?” Emily sent.

Followed by Chloe’s, “That’s so great, Becs!”

And Amy’s. “Course you did, your boss knows what’s good for him. It’s because you told him you have a friend who wrestles dingoes, right?”

“Knew you could do it,” Cynthia-Rose sent. “Your mixes were always the best.”

And either Jessica or Ashley had sent a bunch of smiles and party balloons.

Lily’s normally odd message came in. “It will be number two on Romanian iTunes the day it comes out. Don’t ask why.”

Beca shook her head. She thought she’d said not to go on with that deal, but then again, Lily never did listen well when she thought it was for her friend’s benefit to pull her weird stunts.

“Yeah, it’s the song I orginially told you guys about a couple of months back, but now that the album’s finishing up and they’re picking stuff out to market, he thinks it’s a good candidate. He’s asking the artist, but since Veronica and I have been talking a lot and I think we might be friends I think it’ll actually happen. I really can’t believe it. Especially after last year and that whole Residual Heat thing.”

“Oh, but he liked your stuff at the end,” Emily said. “You really were amazing with Flashlight.”

“Thanks, Em. You were the great one. How’s that even going with him, by the way?”

“Not bad, but he is sort of scary in a weird way. The amount of times he mentions sleeping on a bed of Grammys is like…I don’t even know a word for it.”

“Trust me, I know. Try working with him five days a week, it gets even weirder.”

“Look at us,” Chloe said. “All the Bellas going on to do big things. It’s so great.”

“Yeah, that other song I told you guys about, the one I’d written the music to, but not the lyrics got approved to be recorded today. Two tracks. It’s amazing.”

“Damn girl, I’ve been trying to write a few tracks of my own, but my words don’t come that fast,” Cynthia Rose sent. “How the hell do you do it?”

“Uh, Mina’s sort of a really big inspiration I guess. I dunno.”

She could practically hear the rest of them typing various versions of ‘aww,’ and she was right when the onslaught of messages came in.

“Yeah, yeah, I know I’ve turned into a mushy idiot, but she’s worth becoming one for,” she sent back. But that was enough talking about herself for now. “What else are you guys up to?”

And then suddenly everyone was talking at once and it was like a normal day at the Bellas house and Beca wouldn’t have it any other way. She queued up her first demo, hit play, taking notes as she read through everything that everyone was sending, messaging back comments to things she found interesting quickly before they disappeared off screen. Chloe was really working out well at the whole teaching thing. Cynthia Rose and her now wife were living in Maine, working the Bangor underground scene. Apparently they were rather popular as a hip hop duo, which Beca could totally see. Lily’s standard answer of having to kill them if she told them was still intact. Amy was planning her wedding to Bumper slowly. She wanted it to happen in the fall so it ‘wasn’t so bloody hot as Australia’ when she had to walk down the aisle. Jessica and Ashley were together, which wasn’t a surprise. They had settled into jobs in offices. Beca hadn’t even known they were business majors. And Emily and the new crop of Bellas was doing very, very well.

As much as she talked to them every day, catching up like this as nice. They only really talked about funny stuff that happened during the day or talked about old times. She missed living in the house with them where it was easy to keep in touch with every single detail, but she wouldn’t give up living with Mina for the world, so she supposed everything worked out for the best in the long run. As long as she in the Bellas kept in touch she had no doubt that they would all stay close, living together or not.

And so the day blazed by in awkward comments and Chloe accidentally outing herself and her relationship with Aubrey, to which no one was really surprised at either revelation. Beca could picture Chloe’s face though, bright red, almost the same shade as her hair that she had accidentally spilled the beans. Beca had always had a feeling and those texts from a few weeks ago when Chloe had been drunk at the bar sort of ratcheted them up, but she had wanted to wait until Chloe came to her. As much as Chloe had pushed her in school, she always knew when to back off and wait, too, and she had wanted to return the favor. Except now there was no more waiting.

“Congrats,” she sent.

To which Amy added “On the sex,” a second later.

Beca rolled her eyes. Yeah. These were still the Bellas she knew and loved. Stacie got on later, complaining about them blowing up her damn phone while she was sleeping. But then she was neck deep in the conversation, claiming she knew about Chloe and Aubrey forever ago. And then all of them got to hear about Stacie as a stripper and how she was out earning them all, which wasn’t surprising either. All the Bellas who were still back on the East Coast were now planning to go see her dance and Beca would have to have a play by play of that because it was going to be a trip and half.

She said goodbye just as she was leaving work, putting her phone on silent. She knew she’d have a huge pile of notifications later from the conversation that was still definitely going strong even after eight hours. They were Bellas, they really didn’t shut up once started, and Beca was ok with that, especially now that she could just tune out and go home to her lovely girlfriend who would be sitting at her desk probably studying or grading and have a quiet night in. It soothed the introvert in her. She opened up her phone once she had packed everything up.

“Coming home, am I going to have throw a pillow at you again?” she sent to Mina, dismissing the first round of messages from the Bellas. She didn’t get an immediate answer, so that was probably going to be a yes. Beca smirked already thinking about what overdramatic way to snap Mina out of it next. Maybe Mina would throw the pillow right back at her and maybe it would turn into a pillow fight and then maybe in something a hell of a lot dirtier. Yeah, that sounded like an awesome idea.

Beca smiled wider and headed home.


	21. Chapter 21

Two weeks later Beca walked into their apartment and found it dark. Not really a surprise since Mina usually only turned on the lights in her office and left the others off, being all energy conscious and whatever. Beca flicked on a light and shucked all her stuff, tired. The recording session had gone well. Veronica had been spot on with the song they’d both worked on, but then again since she’d written the lyrics that had been expected. They had taken half a day to get through it and then moved on to the next song.

Mack had let her stay for the second song too, which Beca was grateful for the experience, but she had ended up staying longer at work than normal and she was really, really tired. Mina hadn’t minded her staying longer, though. It was midterms for her next week and she was already all geared up and studying hardcore. As much as Mina worked, Beca was super glad that grad school had never been a thing she thought about because hot fucking damn. Tonight would probably just a takeout night and Beca would end up crashing out early while Mina continued to work but if she wasn’t in bed by a certain time she was going to get up and find her and drag her to bed for her own good.

Beca went to the takeout menu drawer, grabbed out the vegan place that delivered, the Indian place, and a Russian place and shuffled towards Mina’s office. She opened the door, and Mina was right where Beca thought she would be. She smiled tiredly and walked in.

She placed the menus over what Mina was reading and Mina jerked up. “Hey there,” Beca said, reaching out and running her fingers through Mina’s hair. “How about takeout since it’s so late. You won’t have to make anything and you can keep doing what you’re doing while it gets here.”

Mina scowled. “I don’t have time to eat right now. I still have to get through another hundred pages tonight to be where I want to be next week.”

“Yes, but your brain does work better with food, I hear.”

She held up a granola bar wrapped. “I’ve been eating.”

“Real food, beautiful. Real food. I know all about eating whatever is quickest when studying, believe me, but real food is always better. And you feel better.”

“I ate a chicken and hummus sandwich for lunch with a salad. That was real food. I am fine. Now, really, I need to be studying if I want to sleep tonight.” She tried to turn back to her books, but Beca wouldn’t let her. She caught Mina’s face in her hands gently.

“Fifteen minutes to eat, tops, and then you can go back to studying. You know you need to take breaks to make absorbing all of this easier. I know you’re freaking out about Chemical Biophysics, but breaks dude.”

Mina’s scowl deepened and she pulled her face out of Beca’s hands. “Do not make as if you know what is better for me than I myself do. I am an adult and perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

Oh, Beca could feel that this was going bad fast. That was Mina’s Kommissar voice for damn sure. She was going to have to think very, very fast and very well to actually avoid this blowing up. But Mina did need to fucking eat and she needed a break before she exploded from stress.

“You are capable of taking care of yourself, but I want to help, you know? I’m your girlfriend and all, and I want to make sure you’re all good even when you’re super stressed.” She reached out and put her hands on Mina’s shoulders, squeezing gently, rubbing her fingers into muscles so tense they had to fucking hurt.

Mina shrugged her hands off. She swept the takeout menus from her books and scooted into her desk again. “If you truly wanted what was best for me while I quote ‘super stressed’ you would have left this room the first time I asked you to instead of badgering me about a meal I don’t even want.”

Beca felt her own calm slipping, but she was desperately trying to hang on to it. Mina was just saying this because she was stressed. She wasn’t saying any of this to be mean.

“Mina, I—”

Mina cut her off. “No, leave. I do not want food. If I am hungry I know where the fridge is. I am quite sure you know where it is, too. Now leave.”

“Ok, fine, whatever,” Beca said, finally snapping. “So sue me for trying to be a nice girlfriend. I get that you have important science things to do and whatever and I just wanted you to fucking eat so you’d feel like a fucking human, but if you don’t want to, that’s perfectly fine with me. You don’t have to be such a bitch about it. Jesus.” She bent down and scooped up the takeout menus. She glared at Mina one last time before she stalked out of the room and slammed the door.

Fine, she would just go order her own food because she was hungry and tired and angry and didn’t want to put any effort into making something. God, when had trying to do something good ended up with such a shitty response. Ugh. She grumbled, unintelligibly on her way to the kitchen, the only thing clear was that she was supremely displeased. She threw all the menus save the Indian food one in the drawer and closed it forcefully. She was going to get chicken tikka masala and enough rice and naan to sink a fucking boat and maybe some samosa she would just have a good old time by herself.

She dialed the number for the place and went through the whole “Yes, I’d like an order for delivery,” spiel and soon the guy on the other end of the line was ready to take her order. She opened her mouth but the first thing to come out wasn’t anything that she wanted. “Uh, yeah, I’d like an order of lamb vindaloo.” She paused for half a second wondering where the fuck that had come from. That was what Mina order, not her. Whatever, she continued on anyway. “And an order of chicken tikka masala, two orders of rice, two orders of naan, and an order of samosas, please.”

Fucking hell, she had just ordered dinner for both her and Mina without even meaning to. She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest a the man read her order back to her and she confirmed it was right. She was mad at Mina right now. She shouldn’t be order fucking food for her. Whatever, if nothing else she would have food to take to work tomorrow.

She hung up the phone after the guy gave her the total and told her it would be thirty minutes or so. She looked around the kitchen, wondering what she should do in the interim. She put the menu away and decided a quick shower wouldn’t hurt. That way she could just eat and brush her teeth and crash later.

Beca walked into the bathroom and stripped quickly. Hopefully the shower wasn’t too damn loud for her German fucking Majesty. She was just going to have to deal. She lived with other people. Other people who just wanted to take care of her and made sure she stayed sane and didn’t want to fucking be yelled at for it. She started grumbling again, turning on the shower and waiting for the water to warm up.

She slipped under the spray and wet her hair. Beca didn’t even know what Mina was thinking. Obviously she had gotten through college and obviously she should know by now that those idiots who stayed up for days on end studying with no breaks were the ones too fried to go on later. Yeah, grad school was a step up form college, but Jesus, where had her sense gone? Oh right, it was wrapped up in chemical equations and bad fucking attitude that got taken out on the girlfriend who was only trying to help. Beca squeezed the shampoo bottle a bit too hard and way too much came out but she didn’t care. She just rubbed the giant mass of shampoo on her head and proceeded to wash her hair.

Of course it took her a good couple of minutes to realize that she didn’t smell her normal apple shampoo, but something more floral. She looked at the bottle she’d put back and realized she’d grabbed Mina’s shampoo. She scowled and huffed. Of fucking course she had. She grabbed her own conditioner and set to work, leaving it in as she quickly shaved her legs, still fucking grumbling even as she was bent double trying to get that one annoying patch of hair down by her ankle that never seemed to want to be gotten rid of.

She hoped the Indian food stunk up the whole apartment when it got here so Mina would have no choice but to come out because the smell was making her so hungry. And Beca would just smugly smile and say nothing, but she would bask in her fucking victory and knowing she was right. And she could bring it up any time that Mina pulled this shit again because it was ridiculous, being attacked for wanting to fucking help. That’s what girlfriends were supposed to do.

She washed the conditioner out and grabbed her bath scubby and started washing her body. Stupid girlfriend. Stupid feelings. Stupid. Just fucking stupid. All of this was.

She shrieked quietly and made sure all the soap was washed off before she turned off the water and stepped out. She dried off quickly, wrapped the towel around her head and stepped out into their bedroom. Which of course Mina would see the inside of for the next week because she would be too dumb to actually get any sleep like a real human. Because no way was she going to get through a hundred fucking pages in time to get any sleep. Not without giving her brain a break and actually eating food. But what did Beca know?

She grabbed a t-shirt and shorts and pulled them on, shivering in the cool air of the apartment. She dried her hair as best as she could with the towel and then wrapped it around her shoulders to catch the rest of the drips. The idiot probably wouldn’t even take time to shower. Jesus, if she was this bad at managing stress, how in the world did she ever perform with DSM. Surely the stress from that must have been on par. She was their fucking leader after all. Mina acted like she’d never been stressed out before. Beca made a disapproving sound and walked back out to the living room.

Her cellphone rang just as she came out and she answered. Their food was here, but the dude was at the wrong end of the building. Beca gave him directions and five minutes later was sitting in front of the TV with an episode of Leverage on. She shoveled rice and chicken into her mouth and it tasted damn good and Mina didn’t know what she was missing trapped in there with all her books.

She finished up her food, stuffed to the brim and a little bit happier. She put the leftovers into the fridge and stared at the containers for a second. She made an irritated noise in the back of her throat before going to her office, grabbing a post it note and a pen and returning to the fridge. She wrote “this is yours” on the bright ass pink note and then stuck it to the containers and then shutting the fridge door. Fine. If Mina knew where the god damn fridge was, well then she could find the food that Beca had put in there for her. Because she was apparently still a caring fucking girlfriend even when pissed off. And she definitely was still pissed off. A lot. But she wasn’t like stop talking to her pissed off. Then again, arguments with Jesse always seemed to reach that level every time he was a little bit annoying. And that was probably why she was with Mina now because what they had was totally different and she still actually cared even when she sort of wanted to punch a wall. She could really just go for a nice hug right now. That might not fix everything, but it would go pretty long way.

She sighed, suddenly really, really tired and it was definitely late enough to crash now and she was going to take advantage of that. She walked back along the hall and stopped outside of Mina’s office door yet again. Beca hesitated for a long moment before glancing down at the post its in her hands. She bit her lip before ripping another one off and sticking it to the door and raising her pen to it.

“I hope you get some sleep, you dummkopf.”

She shook her head and dropped off the post it notes in her office before retreating to their bedroom. Beca threw the towel around her shoulders in the hamper and flopped down on their bed. She curled up on her side of the bed and flicked off the lights, eyes closing almost instantly. She was fucking tired. And yet as tired as she was, minutes later she wasn’t actually asleep. She was just lying there. With her eyes closed. Almost asleep but not quite and that was really, really fucking annoying.

She grumbled and turned over, reaching out for something to hold onto. Her hand came in contact with Mina’s pillow. She frowned for a long second before finally giving up and grabbing it and drawing it to her. It smelled like Mina. She frowned harder, but drew in closer, burying her face in it. Stupid German Goddess.

And just like that, a few minutes later she was asleep, resting quite peacefully, surrounded by the smell of her girlfriend.

 


	22. Chapter 22

 

Beca blinked awake hours later, not sure where she was or what time it was, or even really what year it was. “Whu?” She blinked a few more times, trying to clear her eyes and kick start her brain.

Ok it was still dark out, she could only see the bare outlines of things in the room. She looked around again and spot a big moving dark blob. It took a few seconds to click that it was a person. And then another few to realize that it was Mina. She was really, really not operating on all cylinders.

She saw up, rubbing her eyes, trying to wake herself up. “Mina?” she asked, voice still croaky and tired sounding.

“Ja, ich bin es nur, schlaf weiter. Ich komme gleich ins Bett.” 

“Fried your brain studying?” Beca asked. She felt Mina’s eyes on her a second later but couldn’t actually see much of anything. She stepped forward and a bit of moonlight lit up her body, showing pale skin just about her belly button.

“Kein Grund so besserwisserisch zu sein.” 

Beca couldn’t make heads or tails of what Mina had just said. She was too tired to actually piece it together.

“Ok, I’m too tired to German, and you’re too fired to English. Just come here.” She patted the bed beside her. “Because your pillow is nice and all, but it isn’t you and right now I’m too tired to actually remember much of anything other than I think I was mad at you when I went to bed, but it’s like three in the morning and fuck it.”

“Idiot.”

“Ja, idiot, whatever you wanna call me right now. We’ll talk about whatever else in the morning.”

Mina threw on a loose t-shirt and climbed into bed. Beca curled up around her a second later and sighed. Much better.

“Danke für das Essen.” 

“Couldn’t let you starve, you stubborn engel.”

“Leg es nicht drauf an.” 

“Love you.”

“Ich liebe dich auch.”

And then Beca was dead out asleep again.

 

At least she was until her alarm went off what seemed like a blink later. Ugh, she had gone to bed early. Why the fuck did it feel like she had gotten two seconds of sleep? She rolled over and slapped at her alarm, but it didn’t shut up. She squinted at it and sat up a bit more.

It wasn’t her alarm that was going off. It was six am. She still had two hours to sleep. So did Mina. She normally got up with Beca on Tuesdays.  She turned and saw Mina’s phone screen lit up and the alarm notification up. Oh no, she had gone to bed like three hours ago. Beca wasn’t going to let Mina burn herself out.

She gingerly climbed over Mina, grabbed the phone and hit the dismiss button. She went in and changed the alarm to eight like normal and set it down.

“Mmm, mouse?” Mina asked, voice groggy.

“Go back to sleep. You’ve only been in bed three hours. Another two hours will do you good.” She bent down and kissed Mina’s forehead.

“Nein, I have other things to do. I didn’t finish all that I wanted to.” Mina started to get up but Beca was faster. She laid down on top of Mina and latched on tight.

“Nope, midterms are next week. It’s Tuesday. You have a lot of time between then and now, including the weekend. You can stay up as late as you want Friday and Saturday, I don’t care as long as you get at least eight hours sleep those days.”

“Maus,” Mina groaned. “I’m too tired to argue with you. I have things I need to do. We had a fight about this last night, didn’t we?”

“We did, and then I ended up ordering food which you ate later anyway and you came to bed unable to speak English because you were physically too tired. If you’re too tired to argue with me right now, you’re too tired to study. You’re pushing yourself too hard right now, you idiot.”

“I know my limits.” Mina sighed, trying to pry Beca off of her, but not really getting much of anyway. Beca knew that if she was really trying Beca would have been off half a minute ago, but she really was that tired.

“Ten bucks says I can call Pieter and he would say otherwise.”

Mina glared at her. “You wouldn’t.”

“We both know I would.”

Mina’s eyes slipped shut. “We’re going to talk about you trying to run my life for me when we get up.”

“And we’re going to talk about your complete overreaction to me trying to order food for you too, but right now I’m still tired and I know you’re exhausted so just go back to sleep.”

“Ugh, fine.” Mina already sounded half asleep.

“If I roll off of you will you try to get up or are we past that idiocy?”

“Past that.” A second later Mina’s breathing evened out and she was dead out.

Beca shook her head but leaned forward and kissed Mina on the forehead gently. Idiot. Her idiot. An idiot she was mad at. But an idiot that she loved.

She slipped back off of Mina to her own side of the bed and was asleep herself in another few minutes.

 

She woke up to her own alarm actually going off the next time. She groaned and sat up. She felt a little better rested now, or at least not like she had at three this morning where she wasn’t sure what her own name was, or at six where she felt like a Mack truck had hit her. So that was definitely an improvement. But for as early as she hit the hay she should be a lot more well rested than this. Ugh. She must not have slept well. Since Mina wasn’t in bed for a good part of the night, that was probably true.

Beca looked over to see Mina curled up on her side, still sound asleep. She reached over and turned off her alarm. Mina’s phone would go off in a minute to wake her up. It amazed her how Mina could sleep through everything, but then her own rather quiet alarm tone woke her right up. She didn’t know what sort of German voodoo that was, but she would pay good money for it.

She stood up from the bed and walked to the closet. She didn’t have anything special today since the songs were recorded so she just reached for one of her normal outfits and threw it on the end of the bed. She looked over at Mina’s side of the closet. It was a lab day for her but also she had a TA session later in the day just after dinner time. She needed something lab appropriate but nice-ish. Beca pulled out a pair of jeans that she liked seeing Mina in and a black blouse that Mina said she’d had forever. If it got anything on it in the lab it would be fine and no real loss.

Beca walked out of the closet and set Mina’s clothes beside her own, grabbing out a pair of sneakers for them both at the last second. She walked to their dresser drawer, grabbed them both a bra and some socks before walking back to the bed.

She looked at Mina. She really, really wanted to let her sleep, but she knew she couldn’t. Mina’s adviser wanted her to be there by nine on her designated lab days and Beca wouldn’t let her miss that, just as much as she wouldn’t let her fry herself out doing stupid things like staying up too later and sleeping too little. At least not without some sort of fight.

She sighed. They were going to have to talk about everything later, but for now she needed to wake Mina up. Maybe if she woke her up she would have at least a little better of a time today. Beca sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Mina, beautiful, it’s time to get up. I’ll go put on some coffee. You’re going to need it today.”

“Kleine Maus?” Mina mumbled. “It is too early, surely.”

“That’s not what you were saying like two hours ago. But yeah, it’s eight. Your phone should go off in a second and let you know that.”

And on cue Mina’s phone started to chime quietly.

Mina groaned. “No, I do not want to.” But a second later she was sitting up anyway.

Beca got up and handed Mina her clothes. “Here, I already picked out an outfit for you. Get ready, I’ll have you coffee by the time you’re out of the bathroom.”

“Danke schön, maus.”

“No problem, engel.” She stopped at the door for a fraction of a second. “I love you.”

“Ich liebe dich auch.” She smiled tiredly.

Beca smiled back and walked to the kitchen. She poured in the water and put coffee in the filter and switched the machine on. In a minute the heady aroma of coffee filled the kitchen and woke Beca up a little more. Maybe she would feel completely human today after all. Living the dream.

Another couple minutes passed and Beca grabbed out the full pot of coffee and poured two cups. She dumped sugar and milk in one and just sugar in the other and took them back to their bedroom. She handed Mina the black coffee and walked into the bathroom with her own, sipping slowly as she started to get ready. Nothing fancy today, she just wanted to look like she wasn’t dead, sick, or otherwise not ready to be a human today.

She walked out again to see Mina sitting on the bed, dressed, hair and minimal makeup covering the dark circles under her eyes, sipping her coffee. She sat down beside the woman even though she probably didn’t have time to do so. She’d call her boss and tell him she was running late if she had to. She hadn’t been more than five minutes late the entire time she’d worked there, and she was rarely late at all. She could be a responsible adult when she needed to be, turned out.

Beca reached out and took one of Mina’s hands. “You gonna be ok today?” she asked quietly.

Mina nodded. “I will once the coffee kicks in. Perhaps not before.”

“Well that’s mostly good news. You need to sleep tonight or you are going to be worthless by next week.”

Mina sighed and drained the last of her coffee, sitting the empty cup on the nightstand. “Mouse, I don’t think you understand how much work I have to do right now. Sleep is a luxury.”

“Sleep is a necessity. I don’t know exactly how much work you have right now, but I know it’s a lot, and I’m just trying to help you.”

“If by help you mean belittle me and act as if I can’t take care of myself.” There was no anger in Mina’s voice, she was just stating what she seemed to see as a fact.

“No, well, no it didn’t start out that way, it may have turned into that when I got mad a you. Really, I just wanted to help. I wanted to order you dinner, give you like a twenty minute break from your work, and then let you go right back to it with a clearer head and a full stomach. That was all I wanted to do. I love you and I want to help you in any way I can, especially when you’re stressed like this. Remember, I’ve been there and done the whole college thing? I know sometimes you don’t take the best care of yourself when you’re on your own and stressed because you think you don’t have time. But I also learned after four years that taking breaks made me less stressed in the long run and I always got everything I needed to do done. You’re the hardest worker I know. I have faith that you’ll get everything done. All my actions last night were trying to do was help you achieve what I know you can. And I’m sorry if it came across in any other way, and I’m sorry for yelling at you and calling you a bitch, that wasn’t right because I know you’re stressed and I added to it. But your reaction pushed all my buttons even though I was trying to not let you do that, I slipped up. I’m human, and I’m sorry. I can’t say I’ll never do it again, because I do have a temper, you call me feisty mouse after all, but I can say I’m sorry.”

Mina leaned down and rested her head on Beca’s shoulder. “I accept your apology. And I apologize for snapping at you so harshly. It wasn’t necessary in the slightest. I let my stress get to me and it influenced how I treated you. I just wanted you out of the room so bad because I had so much left to do, but you weren’t leaving and so I just got meaner about it. The Kommissar is good at that, getting what she wants by any means necessary. I’ll try to rein that in the future, but perhaps next time you should just order the food without me and give it to me instead? That way you know I am fed, but I can keep working.”

It was a fair compromise. “Ok, fine, I’ll agree to try that, but Mina, you do need to take breaks. I don’t want you stroking out on me. And you need sleep, at least six hours a night. That gives you eighteen hours to do everything else.”

Mina sat up just a bit, head hovering over Beca’s shoulder. “You are right. Last night and the night before were horrible. Perhaps they would be better if I had breaks.”

“Episodes of Good Eats are only twenty minutes. Every couple of hours we could watch one together.”

“We can try it, but if I feel like it’s interfering we’re going to have to try something else, something shorter.”

“Ok.” Beca turned and kissed Mina’s hair. “And the sleep thing?”

“I’ll set an alarm that goes off right before I need to be in bed for that six hours you’re talking about.”

Beca smiled. “Good.” She stood up. “Now come on, someone I know has to go be all science super woman and I have to go be the world’s top music producer.”

Mina got up and sighed. “It is going to be a very, very long day.”

Beca inched up on her tippy toes and kissed Mina lightly. “I know, but I know you’ll get through it too.” She smiled as she had an idea. “I’ll have a surprise waiting for you when you get home.”

Mina arched an eyebrow. “Do I want to know?”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if you knew, dummy.” She poked Mina in the stomach lightly. “But it isn’t anything bad. Or sexual. Those are your hints.”

“Those aren’t very good hints.” Mina pouted just slightly.

“Hints don’t have to be good. In fact most hints are very shitty. It wouldn’t be a hint if it was dead giveaway.” She walked over and got her stuff and hoisted her bag onto her shoulder. Ugh, it seemed heavier than usual. Because it was, she hadn’t stopped at her desk to unload all the paper from yesterday. The walk from her car to work was gonna suck a little more than normal today.

“I suppose.” Mina yawned and stared down at her backpack a little resentfully. Finally she sighed and grabbed it, groaning as she hoisted it onto her back.

Then again, maybe Beca shouldn't be complaining about a heavier bag, because that thing on Mina had to weigh at least fifty pounds, if not more. College textbooks were a bitch.

“Granola bar of choice?” Beca asked, walking towards the door.

“One of those cookies and cream ones.”

“Oh yeah, those are the best. We need to go to the store and get more. Like buy the whole section of them, get more.” She walked out of their bedroom and into the kitchen. She met Mina in the hallway to the front door a second later. Mina took the offered granola bar and then grabbed her keys out of the bowl. Beca grabbed her own and sighed once before stepping out into the hall.

They walked to their cars together. Beca was going to be hella late and Mina would be at least a little late. Which was probably going to rocket up her stress level that much more, but at least they had talked. Beca grabbed Mina by the hand right as they reached their cars, side by side this morning. She leaned up again and kissed Mina.

“Have a good day. I love you. Like a lot, a lot.”

Mina snorted. “Ich liebe dich auch, a lot, a lot.”

Beca laughed. “What sort of German-English fusion was that?”

“A very bad one, but I did it for you, so.” Mina tapped Beca’s nose before turning and unlocking her car. “I’ll see you at nine thirty.”

“See you then.” She unlocked her own car and slipped in, pulling out her cell phone and dialing. She was going to have to flutter her eyelashes a bit to have this glossed over, but as long as she didn’t do this again anytime soon she’d be fine. Everyone understood that there were things in life you couldn’t control. At least she fucking hoped so as the call connected. Being an adult was a bitch sometimes. She sucked in a breath and started to explain as soon as her boss answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Ja, ich bin es nur, schlaf weiter. Ich komme gleich ins Bett.-Yes, it’s me, go back to sleep. I’ll be in bed in a minute.  
> Kein Grund so besserwisserisch zu sein.-No need to be a smart ass about it.  
> Danke für das Essen.-Thank you for the food  
> Leg es nicht drauf an.-don’t push it.


	23. Chapter 23

Beca pulled the pan out of the oven just as she heard keys in the front door. She could have planned it better if she tried. Well, she had tried at least somewhat, but no one had that good of luck without some crazy random happenstance.

Mina walked into the kitchen a minute later with a smile on her face. “Someone has been baking. It smells good, mouse.”

Beca smiled. “Thanks.” She started to scoop the cookies off the pan and onto the cooling rack. When she was done she grabbed a glass of milk and stood by the cookies for a second before selecting the best one and walking over to Mina. “Here you go. Eat as many as you like. There’s another batch that has to go in the oven. Also, there’s a plate in the fridge for you of real food if you want it. I didn’t know if you’d eaten when I was making dinner so I just made you some too.”

Mina bit into the cookie and sighed. “God, this is just what I needed,” she said after she swallowed. “You are right, mouse, pin wheel cookies are very good.”

“I told you. I have very good taste, after all.” She looked at Mina and cocked an eyebrow. “After all, I’m with you, aren’t I?”

“Such a sweet talker.” Mina ate the rest of the cookie and picked up another one. “What did you make for dinner?”

“That BLT pasta skillet thing we saw a couple weeks back while we were watching TV. I pulled the recipe off the internet earlier. Oh my god, it’s as great as it sounds, and apparently not all that bad for you. Double plus.”

Mina reached into the fridge and took the plate Beca had saved for her and stuck it in the microwave. “It sounds lovely.” She leaned against the counter and let out a tired sigh.

“So how was your day?” Beca asked sidling up beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Too long, and will be even longer. I need to study still tonight after I eat.”

“Ok, anything I can do to make it better?”

Mina kissed her temple. “You already have.” She pulled out her phone and set an alarm and turned it to show Beca. “And now I have alarm to tell me to go to sleep. Slightly ironic considering the main function of an alarm, but whatever works in this case.”

Beca snorted. “True. Thank you.” She was more relieved than she could say that their talk this morning had actually meant something, that they both were going to try and work on things.

“Of course, mouse, anything for you.”

“It’s mostly for you, you know. Though I can’t say it’s all about you because that would be a complete lie, but.” She shrugged.

“I know.” She leaned a little more on Beca. Beca was glad that she had been working out more with Mina around so she could actually hold the extra weight easily.

The microwave went off behind them and Mina stepped out of the embrace and grabbed her food. She sat at the island and started to eat, groaning at the first bite. “God, I didn’t know how hungry I was until I started eating. You are right, liebling, this is delicious.”

“Right?” Beca picked up a cookie and ate it slowly, savoring it. Pin wheel cookies were damn good, she wished they were a little less time consuming to make, but at the same time, she didn’t because that would be horrible for her. “Want anything to drink?”

“Just water if you could.”

Beca nodded and grabbed a glass and handed it to Mina. “How was the TA session tonight? We’re they confused and panicky like you thought they would be?”

“Worse, so much worse. There is nothing worse than freshman before their first midterms, mouse, nothing. Especially all of these students because they are used to feeling extremely bright and now that they might not understand anything they panic excessively or get mad. It could have gone much better, but I suppose, from the stories of other TAs it could have gone much, much worse.”

“I can come and intimidate them for you next time.”

That made Mina laugh. “Oh yes, the scary kleine maus, I’m sure that will terrify them into behaving when the Kommissar does not.”

“Hey, you never know. I’m totally a badass.”

Mina shook her head. “Of course you are. But I argue that your ass is very, very good. I like it very much, actually.” She smirked.

Beca rolled her eyes. “Great deflection there, Einstein in training.”

“I’m not Einstein in training. He was a physicist. I am nowhere near being a physicist, nor do I want to be.” Mina shivered just a bit. “Chemical biophysics is enough.”

Beca reached out and took Mina’s hand. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine. You’re brilliant and you’re studying your ass off. When’s your midterm for that next week?”

“Wednesday, so is intro to cell mechanics. Monday is nanomaterials.”

Beca scrunched her nose. “Ew, I hate Monday tests, but at least your hard one is in the middle of the week.”

Mina frowned. “I suppose. That does give me more time to worry over it, though.” She scooped up the last bite on the plate and sighed.

Beca took the plate from her and rinsed it off before putting it in the dish washer. “I don’t think you need to worry so much. You’re here studying what you want to study and you like it, right?”

Mina nodded. “For the most part, yes.” She started to pile cookies on top of each other.

“And obviously you got into Caltech so they think you’re smart enough to be there. And I know you’re fucking brilliant because every time you try to tell me about what’s going on in class it all goes over my head but you obviously understand every single thing you’re talking about, so much so, that if I ask you to dumb it down you can. You can teach me what you’re learning. That’s the best way to tell if you truly understand the material, and you do.” She walked over and hugged Mina to her. “I think you’re just a bit worried because you’ve been out of school for a while and these are your first major tests.”

“Maybe,” Mina said, face nestled in Beca’s neck, breath tickling the skin there.

“Don’t be. You’ll rock them. Like you rock everything else. Remember you win everything.”

Mina laughed once and pulled back. She cupped Beca’s face. “Thank you for the pep talk mouse.”

“Did it work?”

“A little bit, I think.” She stood up and grabbed the pile of cookies. “Ones for the road. Studying is always better with food.”

“Definitely.”

“I’ll see you later tonight if you are still awake when I go to bed. If not goodnight, liebling.”

“Night, Engel.”

Mina smiled once more before she walked from the kitchen and towards her study. Beca watched her go and smiled faintly. God, she really did love that woman so much it sort of hurt, but in a good way. She wondered how anything this intense could actually exist, but then again she really didn’t care. It was, and she was totally on the better end of the deal.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't like spicy times, skip this chapter, you're missing nothing. Literally nothing.

The door slammed behind Mina the next week on Friday. Beca looked up from the couch and smiled. Mina dramatically dropped all her stuff to the floor and took a running leap for the couch. She knocked out all the air from Beca’s lungs, but then she was kissing Beca, straddling her and kissing her hard and Beca was totally ok with that. Mina’s hands were in her hair, pulling just the right amount and Beca was _gone_. She groaned into the kiss. They hadn’t done anything for the last two weeks because of Mina’s midterms and Jesus right now Beca was positively melting after such a long time and such fierce attention.

They pulled apart a minute later panting. “Happy you’re done with midterms, engel?” Beca said, smirking.

“You have no idea. I’m so happy that I’m going to take you back into our bedroom and fuck you until you don’t remember what your name is.” She reached out and caressed Beca’s face. “Because you’ve been so very good to me this past week and a half and you deserve a reward.”

Mina shifted just enough to press her knee into Beca’s center. She arched into the contact and groaned. This was totally not fair, except it was and Beca was ok with it.

Beca grabbed Mina’s shoulders. “And what if I wanted to fuck you until you can’t remember your name as my reward?”

Mina’s head lowered to suck on Beca’s neck. She kissed her way up to Beca’s ear. “Oh, I’m sure there will be time for both, little mouse. We do have all weekend, ja?”

“Oh my god, ja.”

“Good.” Mina stood up and a second later Beca found herself being carried bridal style down the hall to their bedroom.

“Oh my god,” Beca said again, looking at the ground that was actually pretty far down. Jesus, how was Mina this tall again. German genetics, but whatever, that wasn’t the point here. “I don’t think you know how fucking hot it is when you go all She Hulk on me.”

Mina laughed and Beca felt the vibrations through her body. She shivered in Mina’s arms.

“Maybe I know exactly how hot it is for you, mouse. And maybe that’s why I do it.”

Beca groaned as she twisted and opened the door for them. “You’re horrible. In all the right ways, but still fucking horrible.”

“Oh, I won’t be fucking horribly in a minute. I’m sure you’ll like how I am fucking.” Mina shot her a feral smile as she literally tossed Beca on the bed.

Beca eeped as she flew, bouncing around on the bed for just a second before Mina was on top of her, pinning her down with her body weight. Beca’s breathing sped up. Oh. Oh god. Her arms clamped around Mina’s back and pressed them together even harder. Her eyes fluttered shut. Feeling Mina like this was just. So. Good.

Mina kissed her hard again, teeth nipping at her lips, tongue soothing the sore spots left behind. Her hands were caressing any part of Beca they could find. Beca spread her legs just a bit and Mina’s hips were suddenly pressing into hers deliciously. She rocked up into the pressure, breath hitching as just the right places were hit. God, she was already so fucking hot. She needed Mina so bad.

“Mina,” she whined.

“Yes, kleine maus? What is it? What do you need?”

“Need to feel you. Need you to fuck me, damn it. You know what I need.”

She heard Mina smirk. “Oh, but it wouldn’t be fun if I didn’t play with my mouse first before I ate her. Don’t you think?”

“Sometimes this cat and mouse metaphor goes a little too far.” But Beca was sure she wasn’t convincing considering she was still squirming against Mina, pressing her hips upward as she wrapped her legs around Mina to get a better angle. If Mina didn’t get a move on she was totally just going to make herself come from rutting against her like some sort of animal. Thought at this point she really didn’t mind.

“Do you think so?” Mina purred in her ear. She sat up just enough to dislodge Beca’s arms from around her. Mina’s hands were under Beca’s shirt in a second, ghosting lightly across her skin, dragging the shirt up and up. Beca sat up enough that the shirt slipped easily off. Before she could lay back down again, Mina had already unsnapped Beca’s bra and it was flying across the room. Hopefully she could find that later. That was her favorite bra. But then Mina’s hands were on her, twisting and pulling her nipples roughly and the only thing that mattered was Mina’s touch.

Mina leaned forward, one of her hands leaving Beca’s breast. Beca whimpered at the loss of contact, but then Mina’s other hands was making up for that a second later. She arched and groaned. How was it that Mina could make it seem like she was everywhere at once?

Then she heard rustling in the drawer and her eyes widened. Mina was literally going to fuck her brains out. Oh god. Beca was not mentally prepared for this. No one was ever mentally prepared for a German goddess to fuck their brains out with a strap on. No one. They were dirty rotten liars if they said so. But her body was totally up for it. She could feel herself getting wetter and wetter if that was even possible.

Mina sat up again, harness and strap on in hand. She raised a questioning eyebrow and Beca nodded eagerly. There was no need to ask twice here. Mina smiled and sat the strap on down beside them. She pulled her shirt over her head and Beca couldn’t help but to reach out and caress wonderful, wonderful abs. They twitched under her touch and Beca’s mouth went dried than the Sahara. God almighty. He’d probably carved Mina himself from like marble or some shit.

Her hands coasted up and around until she was fingering Mina’s bra strap lightly. A flick of her wrist that was more coordinated than she ever had been before, and Mina was throwing her bra to join Beca’s somewhere in a dark corner of their room. She leaned down again and kissed Beca, breasts rubbing together. Beca couldn’t breathe. It felt so good to be skin to skin with her after so long. Sleeping together, wrapped up in each other was one thing, but this, this was totally different. And so very good.

“Mina,” she whined again. But as good as it felt, she needed to come. She needed Mina inside of her more than she needed just about anything else at that moment. She grabbed at the waistband of Mina’s pants and tugged down, trying to send a message.

Mina, of course, smart cookie that she was, got the message, but Beca could see from the mischievous glint in her eyes that she wasn’t about to comply. Beca groaned and sent a pleading look at her, tugging again and the pants, but Mina just grabbed Beca’s hands and pinned them above her.

“Now, now, mouse, behave.”

Beca’s breath hitched again, pinned and helpless under Mina. She had no illusions that Mina would let go if she asked, but until she asked, there was no way that she was getting out from under her.

“I think behaving in the opposite of what we’re doing right now.”

Mina laughed, a throaty chuckle that did things to Beca. Sinful things. She whined again and bucked her hips, but with Mina pinning her like this she really hadn’t done anything at all.

“True, true.” She bent down and bit Beca at the junction between neck and shoulder. Sparks flowed through Beca, setting off chain reactions of pleasure. Oh god, no low cut shirts for a few days. Maybe a scarf in the middle of LA. It was going to be ridiculous, but as Mina moved down just a little and did the same thing, Beca thought it would be worth it.

Mina licked up Beca’s neck and rolled her hips. Beca gasped at the feeling. “Willst du das ich dich ficke?” 

“God, yes.”

“Wie sehr willst du es??”

Ugh, Mina speaking in German was an even bigger turn on. She was so fucking desperate for it right now.

“I-ich will es unbedingt,” Beca managed to say.

“Bitte mich.” Mina nibbled at Beca’s earlobe. 

“Bitte, mein Gott, bitte.”

“Gut, kliene maus Lass deine Hände genau da.”

“Ja.” Beca would do anything right now if it meant that Mina would get on with it.

Mina lifted up off of Beca and got off the bed. She shucked her own pants and underwear quickly, smirking at Beca all the while. She pulled Beca over and yanked her pants off as well. Beca shuddered as the cool air hit her overheated and wet skin. Oh god, she needed this more than words could even describe.

The blonde stepped back again and grabbed the harness of the bed. She slipped it on with practiced movements and slipped the dildo into place. She stood their proudly for a second, hands akimbo, smirking at Beca.

“See something you like, mouse?” She asked as she felt Beca’s eyes skimming over her form.

“Ja, definitely.”

“Gut.” She stepped forward and shoved Beca further onto the bed, climbing on top of her with predatory movements. Her hands stroked down Beca’s body slowly. Beca felt like she was on fire, and the second that Mina’s fingers brushed up against her center she felt like she exploded.

“Gott, du bist so feucht.”

“Only for you. Only ever for you.” Beca was almost delirious now. She wasn’t quite sure what she was saying anymore, but Mina growled and hugged her closer so it was probably a good thing.

Mina’s hand went down to guide the strap on in and then Beca was wailing. God, Mina was inside her and it felt so fucking good. So good. She felt like she would come just then. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Heat blossomed throughout her body and her muscles started to tense. Maybe she was going to come just from that. Mina had wound her up so thoroughly in a short amount of time that her body just couldn’t fucking deal.

She started to move her hips gently. Mina got the idea right away and started to thrust into Beca slowly. Beca couldn’t keep her hands above her anymore. She need to touch Mina, needed to anchor herself somehow. Her hands wrapped around Mina’s back. She accidentally left some scratch marks, but that just seemed to push Mina faster. Beca could truly feel the orgasm building now. She wanted to come badly, but oh god, she’d just had an idea and she really, really wanted to do it. If she had enough coordination at the moment, anyway.

Quickly, she slipped her leg under Mina’s and twisted, flipping them quickly so she was on top. Beca moaned as she landed gently on top of Mina, still full of the strap on. Mina looked up at her with wide, lust blown eyes.

“What are you doing?” She asked, but not moving to correct their positions.

“This.” Beca rolled her hips and gasped. God, it felt so fucking good she might just pass the fuck out. Mina shuddered under her.

“Oh, fuck,” Mina breathed. “Das ist gut.”

“It is. So good, engel.” She set a rhythm easily that had both of them panting and squirming. She wanted to come, needed to come, needed Mina to come with her. She hopped that this position was enough to do that, but she had no idea. She guessed they would see.

“Beca, oh my god.” Mina’s hands landed on Beca’s hips encouraging her to go faster. Beca obliged.

“Do you like that?” Beca asked between gasps for air. So close.

“Ja. Ja,” she drew out the last word and arched her back.

“Oh my god, me too. Gorgeous, you’re gonna make me come so hard.”

“Ich auch.”

“Come with me, bitte?”

“Ja.”

Beca sped up just a bit and the fire inside her flared white hot. She could feel her body clenching just a little bit at a time until she finally came hard, screaming Mina’s name. Mina swore in German, or at least Beca thought it was German, she was so far gone, and then Mina was coming too.

They slumped together, Beca’s head resting on Mina’s chest, listening to Mina’s heartbeat slow. She floated in a great state of post orgasmic bliss. She was everywhere and nowhere at all and she felt fucking fantastic. Waiting was always a bitch, but with how hard she came after abstaining for a little while, it was usually worth it. Now, oh yeah, totally.

Mina’s arms wrapped around Beca and she leaned down and kissed the crown of Beca’s head. “Are you alive after that, mouse?”

“Yes, though I may have transcended to a higher plane of existence for a little while there.”

Mina laughed. “I believe I was there with you. It was good. Very good. I think I would live through midterms all over again just to be fucked like that by you.”

“Aw, that’s sweet.” Beca paused. “Well, in context. If anyone else had said that too me I just would have looked at them like they were weird.”

“I hope no one else is saying such things to you.”

“No, no they aren’t. Or if they are I’m not hearing because I’m totally gone on you. Though I totally half flirted with a coworker the other day to get them to do my bidding, but only for that reason. It was a really shitty metal demo that I wouldn’t have touched with a ten foot pole and I batted my eyelashes just right and suddenly I didn’t have to. Sucker.”

Mina snorted and started to card her fingers through Beca’s hair. “I see. I bet he didn’t know what hit him.”

“Nah, totally didn’t. Considering he hasn’t tried to hit on me since then I have a feeling he still doesn’t.” Beca shrugged. “I’m ok with not getting hit on so.”

“And I am very ok with that as well. You are my mouse.”

“I am. And you’re my overgrown fucking cat.” She poked Mina in the side. The next second she pushed herself up on shaky arms and slipped off of Mina, shivered at the empty feeling the dildo left behind. She unstrapped it from Mina carefully and threw it off to the side. They’d clean it later. For now it was totally still cuddle time.

She laid back down and Mina wrapped her arms around Beca again. “So how’d today go, other than you know, you coming back and basically pouncing on me. I know how that went. Really well, if I do say so myself.”

“It was a regular Friday. I had office hours in the morning for a couple hours. Then I went into lab for the rest of the day and got off at five like normal and came home and here we are.”

“Anyone come into office hours.”

“Just Darren.” Mina sighed heavily. “That child tries my patience. He expects to be spoon fed the answers even this late into the semester. I thought he would get the message that college is much different than high school, but he’s still operating under the notion that if he whines enough it will work.” She extracted one hand to rub at her forehead. “I’ve told the professor about him because he’s tried to get points back on each and every assignment we’ve done and I grow tired of it, but of course the professor just say to put up with it. At the end of the semester when he throws a fit about his grade he will back me up. But there is still half a semester left and I think I might just strangle this child first.”

“I mean, I’m sure we can find somewhere to hide the body. I can help and all. I didn’t watch all those crime shows for nothing, you know?”

Mina laughed hard, body convulsing and shaking Beca too. Beca cracked a smile but then a minute later she was laughing too. She just couldn’t help it. Mina’s laugh was contagious and she was just so damn beautiful when she laughed.

She finally got control of herself a minute later and Beca quieted down too. “I appreciate the help, little mouse, but I think I will live. Besides, I think murder would definitely violate the terms of my student visa.”

“And we can’t have that. I like LA. I think we should stay here.”

Mina squeezed Beca to her. “Oh, I like LA too. We should definitely stay here.”

“Good it’s settled.” Beca turned and started to kiss Mina again. She wasn’t quite done with the other woman yet, but she wasn’t done cuddling yet either. A few kisses between now and then wouldn’t hurt, though. Feeling Mina pressed up against her like this, there was nothing else like it.

Mina’s hand glided down Beca’s side until it reached the swell of her hip. Beca shivered at the touch. But then Mina was pulling back and sitting up.

“I ordered you a gift last week after we made up from our little fight.” Mina stood from the bed and walked over towards the dresser. She shuffled things around before pulling out a box with a triumphant sound.

Beca sat up to watch her. “Really, what did you get?”

Mina tossed her the box. “Open it and see for yourself.”

Beca looked at the packing tape on the box and then looked up at Mina. “What am I supposed to open it with, my teeth?” She bared her teeth. “Do I look like a beaver to you?”

Mina pulled a skeptical face. “No, why would I think that?”

“Because of the teeth thing, duh.”

Mina rolled her eyes and walked over and grabbed a pair of nail scissors. She handed them off to Beca. Beca looked at them and shrugged. It would work. Sort of anyway. She fought her way into the package and smiled when she finally got it all the way open. She put the scissors aside and pulled out all the bubble wrap to see a pair of leather padded handcuffs in the bottom of the box.

Her breath hitched. Oh my god. She looked up at Mina who was staring at her expectantly. She took them out of the box. One end of each cuff was clearly meant to strap on to the headboard while the other end was actually the cuff part. A pair of keys were fitted into one side’s lock. Wow. These were nice, heavy, definitely meant for what Mina had bought them for. But.

“These are handcuffs,” Beca said after a long moment.

“Your powers of deduction astound me,” Mina deadpanned.

“Oh shut up. But I mean. Who are we going to use the handcuffs on?” Beca could totally see herself strapped down at Mina’s mercy, but she could see the opposite just as easily.

“They are a gift for you, mouse. You decide.” Mina sat forward and took one of the cuffs from Beca. “But when I was ordering them, I was very much imagining that I would be the one wearing them.”

Beca blinked. And then blinked again. And nope her brain wasn’t going to be restarting soon.

Mina clasped the cuff around her wrist and locked it. “After all, you like to be in charge when you are fucking someone, yes? And how could you be more in charge than if you bound my hands, leaving me helpless, dependent on you for all my _physical_ needs.”

She reached forward again and took the other cuff, repeating the process. And then Mina was sitting in front of Beca in handcuffs, practically begging her to be tied up. Who the fuck was Beca to deny her that wish.

She lunched forward and kissed Mina hard for a few short seconds before drawling back again. “You tell me the second you are uncomfortable and we will stop.” Beca grabbed up the keys from the bed and put them securely on the nightstand.

“I will, do not worry. I don’t expect there to be any problems. I trust you completely.”

Beca cupped Mina’s face, tracing her cheekbones gently. “Thank you.” She backed up. “Now get to the top of the bed. I need to see you spread out just for me.”

Mina complied, crawling until she was propped up on the pillows, arms out to each side. Beca moved forward and secured the cuffs to the headboard and thank god that this headboard was just a cheap on from IKEA that she wouldn’t feel bad about destroying. Because somehow she thought that that was where this was going to go. If not now, then eventually. Maybe the next one they got would have to be metal. She licked her lips at the thought.

“You ok?” Beca asked sitting back.

“I am just fine.” Mina smirked up at her. “But I think there are a few places on my body that need your attention.”

“Oh?” Beca asked moving so she was settled on top of Mina, just a bare inch from touching her. “Would you like to tell me where these places are?”

“Yes. I want you to kiss me. I need you mouth on mine. I need your mouth on my breasts. I need your mouth on me. I need your tongue in me. Please, Beca.”

Beca shivered at the use of her name. She leaned down so just a scant centimeter was between her mouth and Mina’s. “And what if I don’t give these things to you?”

“I’ll do anything for you to get what I need.”

“Anything at all?” Beca asked.

“Yes,” Mina breathed into Beca’s mouth.

“Oh, good. But we’ll explore that avenue later. Right now I think I want you, very, very badly.” She lowered her head that bare millimeter and she was kissing Mina, tasting of spice and fire. She loved kissing Mina. Had ever since that first time in Copenhagen. She’d never forget it, on that dancefloor after worlds and the fireworks it had caused. But each and every time they kissed now, it was even better because they learned about each other and what they liked and what made the other one sigh in a quiet, intimate way. And of course Beca put all of this knowledge to use, kissing Mina like she was the meaning of life and she just had to know the secret. They were moaning into each other’s mouth. Mina started to squirm, pulling just slightly against her bonds, probably forgetting in the heat of the kiss that she was even tied up.

Beca’s hands slipped to Mina’s breasts, cupping them, letting the weight fill her hands. They were perfect in all ways. She could worship them for a good long time and never be satisfied. She let her fingers circle Mina’s nipples, drawing them into hard peaks while never fully touching them. Mina started to make little begging, mewling sounds. Beca shuddered hard. God, she was so turned on right now it should probably be a crime. Mina hadn’t even fucking touched her, she had just reacted to Beca’s own touches.

She pulled back from the kiss gasping. Circular breathing was a godsend, but sometimes that wasn’t even enough in the heat of the moment. She looked down at Mina, face flushed, eyes shut tight, hair mussed beyond repair. She was beautiful and she was all Beca’s. That was still hard to process on most days.

She lowered her head again, kissing along Mina’s long neck. She nipped lightly, but never enough to mark. She wouldn’t have Mina’s students looking at her funnily because their TA had a hickey. Oh no, she would mark Mina, it would just be elsewhere, where no one but her would see. That would be better anyway. Mina was hers and hers alone. She kissed down Mina’s chest, stopping just a the beginning of the swell of Mina’s breast. She took the soft skin into her mouth that still tasted of cinnamon and sucked hard, tasting iron a second later as Mina moved under her. 

“Beca,” Mina moaned loudly.

Beca smirked into Mina’s skin, but didn’t stop her assault. Lips, teeth, and tongue were kept busy by delicious skin and by the time Beca was nibbling on Mina’s hip bones Beca thought the other woman had almost lost in completely. Mina was making desperate sounds, trying to move her hips and guide Beca to where she was needed most, but Beca wasn’t giving in just yet.

She worked her way down slowly, licking across sensitive skin almost to where Mina wanted her and she could feel Mina’s anticipation growing for that final bare inch but then she pulled away and crawled down her body, leaving butterfly kisses down one of Mina’s legs all the way to her toes and then up the other leg, slowly teasing, loving the feeling of power that came from having such an in control woman out of control under her touch.

“Gott, bitte!”

Beca smiled and then finally obliged. She nudged Mina’s legs apart just a bit more and then she dove in. She sighed as Mina groaned at the first lick. She loved the way Mina tasted, everywhere, but here…there was just something even more alluring. A sweet musky tang that she’d never experienced elsewhere that was addicting. She couldn’t ever, ever get enough.

Mina started almost whining, bucking hard enough into Beca’s mouth that Beca had to pin down her hips with both hands. She was so far gone, Beca could see it in the way her muscles were tensed and her eyes shut so hard that they looked like they would never open again. All she would need to do is hit all the right spots she had learned in the past few months and Mina would go flying over, exploding like a rocket before floating slowly back down to earth.

She licked in long, slow stroke, just on the side of not enough pressure, but working Mina up even higher. And higher. Until Mina wasn’t using real words anymore in any of her babble, but pleading to come in a language that only she could understand. And then Beca showed mercy.

Quickly she licked up to Mina’s clit and took it into her mouth sucking hard rhythmically, using just a hint of teeth to scrape gently along the hard bud. And then Mina’s thighs were clamping around Beca’s head and even though Mina could not use any words the second before, she was chanting Beca’s name over and over again as she came. Beca licked slowly, helping draw out the orgasm and helping Mina to come down.

When the thighs unclamped from around Beca’s head, she sat up and smirked at the beautiful mess below her. Mina’s breathing as starting to even out, but she hadn’t opened her eyes yet. Beca crawled up Mina’s body and hovered over Mina, kissing both her eyelids lightly and then sweeping aside sweat slicked hair from her forehead. God, she was so gorgeous, there weren’t even words for it.

“Little mouse,” Mina rasped after a minute. “That was pure torture.” She paused for half a second. “And I may be a masochist, but you need to do that again.”

Beca laughed. “Like the results, did you?”

“Ask me when I have full brain function to describe what it was like, but yes. I did. Very much so.”

Beca leaned down and kissed her again, lowering her body so they were skin to skin. They both sighed and Mina jangled the handcuffs. She huffed and pulled back, sinking further into the pillow.

“I want to hold you. Unlock these please?”

A smirked made its way back onto Beca’s face. “Oh, but what if I had one more plan before I did that?”

Mina looked up at her. “What sort of plan?”

Beca raised up again and started to crawl forward. She moved her legs until they were on either side of Mina’s chest and then looked down at Mina, questioning look on her face as she moved slowly forward some more, clearly telegraphing what she was about to do.

Mina nodded and watched with hungry eyes as Beca finished crawling forward, positioning herself with one leg on either side of Mina’s head, gripping the headboard. She lowered herself just a bit and then Mina was sitting up meeting her halfway and eating her out with such abandon that it took most of Beca’s will power just to stay upright. The only thing that kept her steady was the fact that if she dropped down too hard she was going to hurt Mina.

Beca couldn’t help her hips starting to move though, just slightly at first, but as Mina intensified her attentions, she moved more and more. She could see Mina staring up at her, eyes grinning, her face covered from nose to chin in Beca’s essence. And Jesus, with Mina in the bedroom there was no lack of hot sights to see.

Mina shifted just a bit and then her tongue was plunging inside Beca. Beca howled as she massaged the sensitive places right at the very beginning. She could feel her orgasm already starting to form, deep in her belly, electric sensations zinging through her as her muscles readied themselves, clenching harder and harder as Mina never stopped moving, never stopped taking her higher. Until suddenly she was licking at Beca’s clit again, in hard fast cirlces and Beca was coming undone, screaming at the top of her lungs and hopefully no one called the cops on them as her hips bucked jerkily as waves of pleasure crashed on her.

When she was finally exhausted she only had the presence of mind to get up off of Mina and slump by her side. The whole unlocking part would have to wait for just a second because she was sure that she didn’t have the fucking mental capacity to grip a key right now, let alone actually fit it in the lock and turn it.

She sat up a few minutes later. “Sorry, I just, wow.” She reached over and grabbed the keys and unlocked Mina. Mina’s arms were around her in a second, drawing up the covers over their cooling bodies. Beca snuggled into the embrace.

“It is ok, mouse. I wasn’t uncomfortable. But now that I get to hold you, it is better.”

Beca felt sleep pulling at her. “Yeah, I like when you hold me, too.”

Mina kissed the top of Beca’s head. “Good. Now I think it is time for a nap before a late dinner, ja?”

“Ja.”

Mina settled down into the pillowed. “I’ll make something special tomorrow, but for tonight how about just a salad?”

“Whatever you want, engel.” Beca yawned and closed her eyes. “Always whatever you want.”

And then she was asleep only a few seconds later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Willst du das ich dich ficke?-Do you want me to fuck you?  
> Wie sehr willst du es?-How badly do you want it?  
> Ich will es unbedingt-badly  
> Bitte mich-beg me  
> Bitte, mein Gott, bitte- please my god please  
> Gut, kliene maus Lass deine Hände genau da.-Good little mouse. Keep your hands there.  
> Gott, du bist so feucht.-God, you’re so wet.  
> Ich auch-me too


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So if y'all don't have a tumblr, or just haven't seen it floating around, I've started planning a Becommissar Week over there. Right now we're picking out a week for everything to go down, so if you want to participate just go to becommissarweek.tumblr.com and answer the survey posted there and monitor for updates. It should be a good time had by all, at least that's the plan. Also, a heads up that Saturday's chapter isn't going to happen. I'm going to visit a bunch of Grad schools with friends because I have to be a responsible adult and think about the future and junk. Everything should be back on track Monday, though.

Beca walked in the door and yawned. Another day at work, productive, but tiring. Nikolai looked like he had three solid tracks now, all of which she’d helped with at least somewhat. She was at least getting some experience, which was even better.

“Beca?” Mina called out from the back of the apartment, probably the bedroom or her office judging by how muffled it was.

“Yeah, beautiful?” She dropped her stuff by the couch and continued back towards where she heard shuffling sounds. Definitely the bedroom.

She turned the corner and stopped. Holy fucking shit. Was the sight in front of here even legal?

“Mina, I—what—who—huh?” She swallowed hard.

“Oh, do you like it?” Mina looked down at herself, rubbing her hands over the tiny leather miniskirt and looking down at black boots that cut off just above her knee. She was wearing a tight red top, low cut, and she was almost spilling out of it. On top of her head were bright red little horns and Beca swore she could see a tail peeking out from between her legs.

“I, yes, but I, why?” Beca couldn’t quite word properly just yet. Wasn’t sure she’d be able to word properly unless she looked away. Sinful. Mina looked sinful. Not that she didn’t normally, but this was extreme.

“Oh, one of my friends at school, Brittany, she’s having a Halloween party and invited me. I stopped at the costume store and bought the tail and horns and figured I could make the rest out of what I already owned. I did well, didn’t I?”

Beca nodded. “Uh, yeah, yeah you did.”

“Good, good, in Europe Halloween isn’t as much of a thing as it is here. I’ve never really dressed up before.”

“Wow, yeah, just.” Beca finally looked away and took a deep breath. “I think I’m just going to have problems speaking around you as long as you’re wearing that. Holy fucking shit. Thought you could just pull the rest of the costume from your wardrobe. Where has that skirt been? I’m pretty sure you could have made me worship at your feet if I knew you had a skirt like that.”

Mina smirked. “Oh, perhaps I was just saving it for a special occasion.” She bent down and started to unzip the boots. “But it was part of a DSM outfit a few years back.”

“What the fuck, you danced in that? How?”

“Tights and practice, as with all things, mouse.”

She shed the rest of the outfit quickly and put it in the chair in the corner of the room.

“When’s the party?” Beca asked, still looking at the clothing and feeling herself blush.

“Oh, Friday. It starts at ten I do believe.”

“Awesome.” And Beca more than anything wanted to go an watch Mina prance around in that outfit, but she knew that Mina needed her own friends. They’d probably come over to their apartment at some point and she would meet them, but for now she had to let Mina actually have her own time. No matter how much she really wanted to run her hands all over Mina publically and make sure everyone in her program knew that Mina was hers.

“Yes, you can come if you wish. Brittany said a plus one was fine.” Mina pulled a t-shirt over her head and slipped on a pair of yoga pants.

Beca stepped forward and kissed Mina gently. “No, no, you have fun with your friends.”

Mina cupped Beca’s face. “I will then.” She kissed Beca’s nose. “But I’ll have much more fun when I come home and you peel that outfit off of me. I can see that’s exactly what you want to do.”

“Oh, definitely.”

Mina laughed and stepped back. “What’s Veronica doing? Maybe you could go out with her?” She walked out of the room, expecting Beca to follow her, which of course she did.

“I think she has a gig, though I’m not sure. I could always ask. It has been a while since I’ve been out.” Beca frowned at that. She and Mina tended to just chill at home and they liked it that way, but maybe they should go out together sometime soon. Yeah, that would be good. Dancing with Mina was so fucking hot.

“Exactly. We should both have a little fun out. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Mina walked to the kitchen and started to pull out ingredients for dinner.

Beca hopped up on her usual stool. “True, but I wouldn’t exactly call what you and I get up to around home dull.” She licked her lips. It was the exact opposite of dull really. It was fucking hot. And also cute and cuddly when they were just like chilling watching Netflix, but whatever, that was totally not the point.

“Perhaps.” Mina sent her a look that said she knew exactly what Beca was thinking about and went back to chopping up vegetables efficiently. “But friends are always good to have. I know you’ve been out to lunch with Veronica several times since that first time. I do not think an invitation for a night out would be over the line.”

“Fine, fine, yes mom.” Beca stuck her tongue out. “I’ll see.”

“Good.” Mina smiled back at Beca. “I just want you to be happy, liebling.”

“I know you do.”

Mina walked around the kitchen for a few minutes, focused on the task of making dinner. Beca just watched her. She liked seeing Mina like this. She looked so relaxed and happy. She didn’t know when they’d turned so damn domestic, but it had totally happened.

“Mouse, that isn’t texting and asking,” Mina said after a while.

Beca glared at her back even though Mina couldn’t see it. Mina turned around a second later and walked over to Beca. She reached into Beca’s back pocket and pulled her phone from there and handed it to her.

“Here, I have made it even easier for you.”

Beca stuck out her tongue. “Point made, you irritatingly beautiful woman.”

Mina chuckled. “That was almost an insult. Almost. You’re getting better even if it has taken five months. Perhaps by year’s end you’ll be able to come up with something that isn’t also a compliment.”

Beca almost brought up that she’d called Mina a bitch when they were fighting the week before midterms, but thought that probably wasn’t a good idea. She kept her mouth shut and stared at her phone.

“Ugh, this is so much easier when the friends just drag you along for the ride and don’t give you a choice.” Beca tapped on her messages icon and hovered over Veronica’s name.

“Yes, well, some friendships must actually be worked for. As with everything else.”

“Who knows, if I wait long enough I might find another Chloe.” Beca finally pushed on the screen. She tapped it again and the cursor blinked at her. Oh that wasn’t taunting or anything. Who thought blinking cursors were a good idea?

“I doubt you will find another person who starts off your friendship by walking in to your shower stall. In fact, I know you won’t because the only one allowed to walk in on you in the shower now is me.” She turned to smirk at Beca for just a second.

Beca’s face heated. Jesus, every time that Mina walked in on her in the shower was a memory to treasure. That woman. Just. Guh.

“Fine, ok, so Chloe’s one of a kind. But like, someone more extroverted who reached out more than I did. I need that sort of friend. I am the introvert here remember. Super introvert. Like I should have a fucking cape or some shit.”

“Mouse, you are putting off something that isn’t so bad. The worst she could say is no.”

Or the world could like burn down or something. Either or. Beca sighed and actually typed out a message.

“Hey, are you doing anything Friday night?” She sent it before she could think twice.

She looked up at Mina. “There, sent a text message. Do I get a cookie now?”

“You are the one who makes cookies. If you want cookies, you make them.”

“Mina,” Beca groaned. “It’s a saying.”

“Oh, I know. I just love playing with you. I would come over there and kiss you as a reward, but right now I have to stay here for the next five minutes and stir this constantly so it does not burn.”

“Fine, fine. I don’t need a reward anyway. I’m an adult. Not a child.” Right, sure. Most days she didn’t feel like, but still. The law said she was an adult had had been for almost five years, as scary as that was.

Her phone buzzed on the counter. Beca picked it up and read the message twice just to make sure that she read it right. She wasn’t about to screw this up.

“No, got a gig on Saturday but nothing Friday. Why?”

“Wanna go grab a drink, maybe go dancing or whatever? Mina’s got a Halloween party at a friend’s that night so I thought why not.”

She put her phone aside again. Well. That was it. Now or never. She was either going to get a yes or a no answer. And right at that moment she didn’t know which one she actually wanted more. Ah, life with slight social anxiety and being an introvert. Great combo. Whatever higher being, if there was one, should give themselves a great pat on the back for that, Beca thought. And then they should probably slap themselves a few times, but yeah.

“Sure, you have any place in mind? I know a place, but I think its Halloween party is that night too so it might be packed.”

Beca looked over at Mina and a plan started to form in her head. “Does this party have a costume contest?”

“Hold on, lemme look.”

Beca waited for the answer, a grin starting to spread across her face.

“Yeah, they do. You wanna dress up? Doesn’t seem like your style.”

“Usually isn’t, but I walked in today to see Mina in this ridiculous devil costume.” Beca sucked her lip into her mouth, remembering. Oh, jeez.

“And you want to make her mouth drop like yours did, huh?” Another second later. “I’m all in, then. I haven’t gone costume shopping in forever. Like middle school forever. Should be fun.”

“Wanna go together, bounce ideas off each other?”

“Oh, totally. Shopping is only fun with friends, bro. Otherwise it’s fucking torturous.”

Beca shrugged. She didn’t think shopping was too bad, so long as it was for the right things. Like not dresses. She was too fucking short for dress shopping not to be a damn nightmare.

“Fair enough. When are you free?”

“Last song on the album gets recorded Thursday. We can go after you get off. That way you don’t have to hide the bags from Mina for long.”

“Clever. Ok, Thursday it is.”

“Ok, cool, see you then. :)” Veronica sent.

Beca put her phone aside. “I have plans on Friday. Social plans. Like an adult. Also I’m apparently going shopping on Thursday. Double set of plans. Now you can kindly lay off about me being anti-social or whatever.”

Mina snorted. “I suppose I will then.”

“You know, you could totally have some of your friends over here sometime. I could be super social and actually meet them.”

Mina set a lid over what she was working on and came to stand beside Beca. She cupped Beca’s face and kissed her gently. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Baby steps, as they say.”

“You know, I can actually be more social, right? Like, you saw me all of last year.”

“Oh, I did. But it has just been us for a great while. And then you alone before that. Branching out slowly again is not bad. Especially when we both have demanding jobs and schooling. We will find our balance, and this is just that first step, ja?”

“Ja.” Beca leaned forward and buried her face in Mina’s neck, inhaling the soft scent of cinnamon. “I hate when you’re right though.”

Mina laughed loudly at that. “Oh, I know.” She pulled back, dislodging Beca. She kissed Beca’s nose before walking over to the stove again. “But you’ve gotten used to it.”

And really, there was nothing that Beca could say to that, because she was right again.

Damn it.

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back from Philly. It was nice. I still have no idea about grad school, but it was nice and I made national treasure puns the entire time. And with that tidbit enjoy the chapter.

Beca walked around the aisles of the costume store and contemplated her options. This late in the game the shelves were a little bit bare, but there was still enough. Veronica popped out of another aisle. She held up a package.

“Hey, what about this? Sexy cat, never goes out of style,” she said as she walked towards Beca.

Beca thought about it for a second, the whole role reversal thing would be hilarious. But no. She wasn’t the cat, Mina was.

“No, um, actually she calls me her little mouse. So.” She shrugged. “German terms of endearment, there are a lot of animal terms. Who knows why.”

“And she’s the cat. Got it.” Veronica looked at her, amused. “Kinda kinky.” And she was off again into the bowels of the store.

Beca opened and closed her mouth for a few seconds before just shaking it off. Right. Well. Just. She shook herself and went back to looking.

Sexy police officer. Nah, not her thing. Probably not Mina’s thing either. Though she’d never asked if Mina had a thing for women in uniform. She should probably do that at some point. God, there were so many things they could do with that if she did.

But she was not in the middle of a Halloween store to contemplate role play options. Right.

Sexy referee. Totally a fucking guy thing. She was not dressing up for a guy. Definitely not a guy. Beca licked her lips and moved on. Sexy witch, sexy nurse, sexy corn cob? What the fuck. Where did people even get the idea for some of these things? Had they run out of ideas or something? Right beside the corn cob was a sexy Bert costume and below that was a sexy Ernie costume. Right, because she fucking got really turned on thinking about Sesame Street. Geesh.

Poison Ivy costume. Beca stopped at that and considered. She’d had such a fucking crush on Poison Ivy when she was little. Of course she hadn’t actually known it was a crush, but now looking back she’d had a total toner for the woman. And Cat Woman. So maybe morally ambiguous and looked like they could kill her was her type. Whatever.

But then she moved on. She had no idea if Mina had seen those Batman movies or even knew who Poison Ivy was. Her fantasy was not her girlfriend’s.

Veronica popped up beside her again. “What about this one for me?”

Beca looked at it. Sexy pirate. She looked at Veronica who was a couple inches taller than she was with a hell of a lot longer legs, or at least it seemed like it sometimes. Definitely could work, and it was more of a steampunk-y vibe that she got from the costume. It would definitely fit in with the hipster-ish crowd she ran with, if they dressed up anyway. It seemed like her too.

“I think you’d look good in that.”

Veronica nodded and looked thoughtful. “Cool, I’ll keep looking but if I don’t see anything better than at least I have something. Any luck so far?”

Beca shook her head. “Nope. Though who the fuck ever came up with that should be shot.” She pointed at the corn cob costume.

“Um, ok, corn. They must be from the Midwest or something.”

“Um, have you lived in LA long? Because they totally could have come from here too. People are fucking crazy here.”

Veronica tilted her head to the side, conceding the point. “Fair enough, but yeah, I’m from Indiana. It was flat and there was nothing but soybeans and corn for miles. I could actually see that costume going over well there.” She shivered. “Never again.”

Beca looked at her. “You aren’t from here? I had you pegged for a local.”

She shook her head. “Nah, I’ve been out here for a while, since I was sixteen, so that might be why. But yeah, I’m originally from the middle of butt fuck nowhere.”

Beca laughed. “I’m glad I can’t say the same.”

“Yeah, yeah, Atlanta girl.” She gestured over at the other rows. “I’ll keep looking for the both of us.” And then she was off again.

Beca went back to looking. Cowgirl. Not in a thousand years. Veronica would probably laugh her out of the store for that or something. God, trying to explain that to the Bellas would be a nightmare too, because somehow they would find out. Between Amy and Lily, they would always find out anything she didn’t want them to. Scary fuckers, but at least she loved them. Pikachu. What the fuck was with this industry and sexing up fucking cartoon characters? What was wrong with people? Harley Quinn. Way too much leather for LA, but anywhere else, she would have thought about it.

“Beca! Oh my god!” Veronica rounded the corner and held out a package. “This is totally the one for you.”

Beca looked at it and smiled. Yeah, it definitely was the one for her. Fallen angel was emblazoned across the top of the package and a woman in a ripped and tattered outfit that was obviously supposed to have been an angel’s white robes at some point but now were black as pitch, cut off way above mid-thigh and the top low cut enough to make anyone want to sin. She was wearing dark black wings to complete the look. Oh yeah, she could be the fallen angel to Mina’s devil. She’d definitely fallen for Mina, might as well make it on more than one level.

“Yes, yes it is. This thing come with wings or are they separate?” She took the package from Veronica and flipped it over, reading what was inside. Except it wasn’t really clear. Fucking packaging. She looked around for store employees, and finding none, just undid the top of the package and shuffled around inside.

A second later she pulled out wings that looked like fucking fairy wings. Both her and Veronica scowled at them. That just wouldn’t do. They actually needed to look like angel wings or she would look like a demented fairy and where was the fun in that?

“Have you seen any better wings around here in your wandering?” Beca asked.

“I think there’s a wall of wings and tails and whatever else over there.” She gestured at the far wall. “I hadn’t made it over there yet though. Worth a look. If not here then there’s always like the fifteen hundred other costume shops in LA that spring up at this time of year.

Veronica did have a point. So they both walked towards the wall, clutching onto their various packages. Beca saw the wings she wanted almost immediately. They looked almost real. And she knew that she was going to pay a fucking small fortune for them, but fuck it. They were perfect. With those wings she really didn’t need the costume part of it anyway. She had enough risqué clothing at home she could construct something believable. Do her hair nice and sexy with dark makeup and she’d be set.

“Those.” She pointed at them and Veronica nodded.

“Yeah, definitely those.”

“What do you want to bed they’re at least a hundred bucks?” Beca asked as she walked over to them.

“Oh, at least.”

Beca flipped the tag. Hundred and fifty. Fuck that was a lot of money. But all the bills were paid for the month and as long as a hurricane didn’t strike or anything, she’d be fine moneywise.

“Ouch.” She pulled them off the wall anyway. “Where did you get this?” She held up the angel costume. “I don’t really need it as long as I’ve got the wings, you know? Pretty obvious.”

Veronica gestured with her head and then walked off. Beca followed and but the costume back with the others of its ilk. She looked up at her friend and eyed the pirate costume she was holding.

“That what you want or do you want to look around more?”

“Oh totally look around more. I mean after all, if we didn’t look around more then we would miss gems like this.” She pulled out a penguin costume that looked possessed, but definitely was supposed to be cute.

“What the fuck is that?” Beca took a step back.

“Some small child’s worst nightmare.”

“Dude, I think that’s _my_ worst nightmare. And penguins are my favorite animal.”

Veronica laughed and put the penguin back. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

They looked up and down the aisles for a little while, pulling out costumes to make fun of more than they were actually pulling out suggestions. The pirate one was still winning up until Veronica gasped and darted forward. Beca followed at a much more sedate pace to see Veronica holding up a female Captain America costume.

“Wow, wouldn’t have pegged you for a comic person.” Beca looked at the costume. It was going to be skin tight and midriff baring. Definitely still on the sexy side of things.

“I’m not really, you know, but I really like the movies. Chris Evans abs.” She licked her lips. “Beside the point, but they never have Black Widow stuff and Cap is my second favorite in the movies for both hot reasons and just I like the character reasons. Better than the pirate?”

“Well, I will definitely say that there won’t be as many Captain Americas as there will be pirates. They’re a bit common, no matter how awesome the costumes look.”

Veronica nodded. “It’s decided then.” She scurried off towards the aisle she found the pirate costume in and then a minute later was back by Beca’s side. “I think this was successful.” She started to walk towards the check out.

“Oh, definitely.” Beca looked down at her wings. “I just wonder how the hell I’m going to hide a giant pair of wings from Mina, even for a night.”

“Just keep them in your car. It’s not like you can drive with them on anyway.” Veronica laid her stuff up on the counter as the teenager working yawned and started to scan the thing.

“You make a fair point. I just won’t park by her tonight because she’d totally see them in the car tomorrow.” Beca nodded, deciding that was exactly what she’d do. Maybe if she put a blanket over them that would be an even better idea. But then Mina would ask what was under the blanket if she saw them and then she would be back to square one. Yeah, acting like there was nothing suspicious was the best plan probably.

They checked out and headed out. Beca left Veronica with promises to see her the next day and then she stuffed her wings in her car. The damn things ought to be made out of gold for as much as they cost. Oh well, if Mina reacted well to them she could always reuse them next year. Or maybe Mina could wear them. Beca liked that idea. She liked it a lot. She imagined all the possibilities as she drove through LA and home.


	27. Chapter 27

Beca looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was done up with more volume than normal, curling in easy, sexy waves around her face and shoulders. Her eyes were surrounded by dark, thick winged eye liner and smoky eye shadow. And her lips were painted bright red, courtesy of Mina’s makeup bag. She looked damn different, but she also looked damn good, she knew that much. She was going to turn heads at the party, but the only one that actually mattered was Mina.

Mina had left before Beca really finished getting ready. She had just done the basics while Mina had been beside her, making herself up dramatically, morphing from her loveable science nerd who was a little intimidating into a devil that looked like she would kill you just as soon as smirk at you. Beca had had a hard time not staring. Everyone at her friend’s party was going to have a hard time not staring. But if Mina told her that one person put their hands on her without permission, she was going to hunt them down and murder them. She didn’t care how Mina looked, no one did that to her girlfriend. Or anyone really, but the problem here was more girlfriend related than anything.

Beca walked out to their bedroom and pulled on her clothes. She didn’t have a leather skirt lying around like Mina did, but she did have a black, skin tight miniskirt that would get the job done. Pair with a low cut black crop top that Chloe had insisted she buy one weekend last year before they went out and her black high heeled ankle boots, with spikes decorating the heel, and she looked the part of badass sexy bitch. She didn’t quite feel that way considering as Mina would say ‘she was tiny, like a little mouse,’ but the makeup and hair treatment had definitely helped. With the wings on she might actually pull it off.

“I’m ready to go. How are you doing?” Beca sent a text off to Veronica.

Veronica sent a picture back, blonde hair tied up in a high pony tail, makeup a little lighter than usual club makeup, but that went well with the costume, and a little shield painted on her left cheek. She had the costume on already and it looked stellar on her. Beca whistled. They were totally going to take the world by storm. Or well, the club. Hopefully. Maybe they’d even win something, though she doubted it. People went all out for these things.

“Looking good. Meet you there at eleven?”

“Sounds good, see you there.”

Beca grabbed all her stuff that she really needed and stuffed it into a small clutch. ID, keys, money, good to go. She was out the door a second later and driving to the club.

Veronica was already waiting outside the door when she got there. “Been waiting long?”

“Nah,” Veronica said. “Only about five minutes. I live closer than you do. It’s no big deal. I’ve been watching people go in, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be as bad as I thought. If my calculations are right, but there’s a reason I’m a musician.”

Beca laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I know that feel. Getting through my math gen ed was bleh. I mean I passed easily, but I didn’t want to fucking do it. I didn’t want to do chemistry either, and yet somehow I ended up with a chemistry nerd for a girlfriend.”

“That’s totally how the world works.” Veronica walked up to the bouncer, handed him the three bucks cover fee and walked right in. Beca did the same thing, adjusting the wings slightly before slipping through the door.

The bar was pretty full, but even with her extra bulk of her wings, she wasn’t too squished. Veronica led her over to the bar, clearing a path. Beca ordered a tequila sunrise and Veronica and gin and tonic. They leaned on the bar for a little bit while their drinks were being prepared and just people watched.

Of course since it was Halloween it was crazy. The ‘Monster Mash’ was blasting over the speakers, pirates were walking amongst ninja who crept by vampires. Of course there were the couple dudbros who had on the stupid dick in a box costumes and a few others with other suggestive things like that. Beca rolled her eyes. You could take the guys out of college, but sometimes you couldn’t take the college out of the guys.

Beca turned towards Veronica. “What the fuck is even going on right now?” She asked, raising her voice to be heard.

Veronica just laughed. “Dunno, but it looks like fun.”

Beca wasn’t exactly sure about that, but then again the dancefloor was hopping and when the tequila actually hit her she would be good to go. Until then she was going to stay right the fuck here.

The bartender set their drinks in front of them. Beca immediately leaned forward and took a long sip. The guy had made their drinks strong. Wasn’t so great for her tastebuds, but would probably be good for getting her on the dancefloor faster. Veronica sipped at her own drink and kept looking out over the crowd.

“See anyone interesting?” Beca asked, teasing.

Veronica slapped her arm lightly. “Oh hush, we’ve been here like ten minutes.”

“Would it surprise you to know that all it took as my girlfriend performing one a Capella number to know I was in trouble?”

“She sings too? And no, you only sort of hinted at how you met, in Copenhagen, that sort of whirlwind romance thing.”

“Oh, that wasn’t how we met, not by a long shot. That was definitely how we fell in love, but not how we met. I’d known her most of the year before Copenhagen. Well, I knew of her anyway. I didn’t really know much about her…other than what I could find on the internet maybe.” She pulled a face and looked away. “I might have internet stalked her there for a while.”

“Ok, so how did you meet?”

A club wasn’t really a place for this conversation, as loud as it fucking was in here, but Beca found herself actually wanting to talk anyway, even if she was screaming. The Bellas all knew the story. Her Dad knew most of it, at least the important parts. And yet she thought it was the cutest damn thing ever or at least interesting, so she was totally going to tell her friend about how her and Mina met and damn the club music.

“I told you I was in an a cappella group in college, right?”

Veronica nodded. “Yeah, said you guys were World Champs or something, and that that whole thing about someone showing their snatch to the President had to do with you guys.”

“Yeah, exactly, anyway, after Fat Amy and the vagina incident we had our National tour taken away from us and then we got told that we were suspended forever basically. We couldn’t take that obviously, and we struck a bargain that if we won Worlds that they’d reinstate us. Mina’s team was the one who took over the tour for us, and they were also our biggest competition at Worlds. DSM was…” Beca sighed out a dreamy breath. Now that they weren’t competing for their lives she could actually admire them. “They were awesome. First time I saw Mina was when she came on stage. They mixed together Uprising by Muse and Tsunami and it was just amazing. We all sort of saw them and went ‘oh shit’ you know?”

“Does DSM stand for Das Sound Machine?” Veronica asked.

“Yeah, have you heard of them?” Beca sipped her drink, feeling the tequila warm her on the way down.

“Yeah, I’ve seen a couple of their covers. They’re pretty big on Youtube, but if you internet stalked her for a while then you already know that.”

Beca blushed. “Um, yeah, maybe.”

“They’re really good.” Veronica looked thoughtful. “Oh my god, Mina is their female lead, isn’t she? Oh my god girl, you bagged that?”

“Yeah, she was.” Beca nodded still blushing, but with a pleased smile. “And she’s definitely all mine. And I’m all hers. Probably putty in her hands hers, but whatever.”

“Ok, so continue. You saw her performance and said ‘oh shit’ what happened after?”

“Well, they saw us there watching and so Mina and Pieter, the make lead, came out to trash talk us. I was the leader of the Bellas and being my snarky bitch self my friends thought I could handle insulting her back. Except I totally couldn’t. Some highlights of that conversation include ‘you are physically flawless but it doesn’t mean I like you’ and ‘just because you’re making my question my sexuality.’ It was a great time had by all. That’s where the tiny mouse nickname came from too. I told her we were going to kick their asses and she walked up to me and called me tiny like a mouse and said basically good luck with that.”

Veronica laughed at that. “She sort of had a point. You are tiny. I doubt you could kick anyone’s ass but your own.”

“Hey! I can so kick ass. You don’t know,” Beca defended.

“Um, I’ve known you for a few months now and I think I can safely say that you may have a temper and are definitely sarcastic, but ass kicker, nah dude. Though, Mina, what she’s like at least five ten, she could be the ass kicker for you.”

“She’s six feet tall actually.” Most of that was leg too. Gloriously long, smooth legs. God above she couldn’t wait to get home and peel that costume off of her.

“Jesus, and you’re what like five foot even. She must swallow you up completely when she hugs you. Aw, that would be so cute.”

“I’m five two, it’s a perfectly respectable height.”

Veronica laughed again. “Sure it is. For middle schoolers.”

“You’re like five five how is that much better, damn it?”

“Because there are three whole inches more of me.” Veronica gestured up and down her body. “So after that performance you were a bit hooked on her, huh?”

“Yeah, a little bit. Thus the internet stalking, though that was worse after I saw her a second time at some a Capella obsessed dude’s house for a riff off. God she was in a mesh crop top and I still would like to thank not only god but Jesus for that thing.”

“Oh, I bet. From all the tight leather DSM wears she has to be in great shape.”

“Oh, you really, really have no idea. But yeah, then was the whole Copenhagen thing happened and then we got together only to fly halfway around the world from each other for three months and yet now we’re here. It’s good to be here.”

Veronica grinned. “I bet it is.”

“Yeah, but you totally never answered my question, do you find anyone here interesting?” Beca raised her eyebrows and looked at Veronica seriously.

“Ugh, fine, let me really take a look.” She turned on her bar stool and looked around the bar for a minute. “Ok, so the dude over there in the Tarzan outfit, he’s nice looking and the lumberjack dude over there isn’t bad either.”

Beca looked them over and nodded. “I’d go for sexy Tarzan. He’s got great abs.”

“Yeah, but look at the circle around him. Everyone is going for sexy Tarzan just for his abs. I am not about to attempt that.”

“Aw, why not. I think you’d have a chance. I have some tips from one of my friends. She also called her vagina ‘Hunter’ because…yeah well it’s a bit obvious, but she always got the guy she wanted was the point I was trying to get across here.”

“And if I just want a girl’s night out?”

“Then I’ll shut up about it.” Beca shrugged. Didn’t really matter to her. This was all just in good fun.

“Then let’s do that. If a guy comes up to me, a guy comes up to me, but I’m not going to search them out.” She finished off her drink. “Besides, I find the ones who seek me out are at least a little better than the ones I try to chase, you know?”

“No, not at all, considering it was a little bit of the opposite for me, but I get the point you’re going after.”

“Good. Now finish your drink. I totally want to dance. The DJ tonight isn’t too bad, if a little heavy on the cliché Halloween anthems.”

Beca had to agree. It wasn’t a set she would do by any means, but you could definitely dance to it. “Fine, fine, gimme a second. I can’t chug this much fucking tequila that fast or bad things will happen later.”

“I don’t even see how you’re drinking the stuff.” She stuck out her tongue. “It tastes like ass to me and smells like it too. Didn’t college put you off of the stuff like everyone else in the world?”

“Uh, no, college ruined vodka for me.” She shivered a little bit. “I drink anything with vodka in it and I’ll probably puke. Like ninety-five percent chance.”

“Ew.”

“Yeah, well, when all the stupid punch always has like five bottles of vodka to like one gallon of punch and a fuck ton of sugar to mask it, then you get warned off the stuff real quick.”

“Sometimes I’m glad I didn’t go to college. All the drinking horror stories are definitely part of that, even if I do want to go to learn.”

“Oh come on, you’re a musician. You have to have your own crazy drunk stories.”

“I do, just most of them don’t end up with me throwing up and blacking out because there wasn’t really a need to push myself too far for other people’s approval.”

Beca just looked at her.

“Ok, and I couldn’t afford that much booze starting out so I really didn’t drink much for that reason too.”

Beca was much more satisfied with that answer. She kept sipping at her drink, feeling the first bit of warmth hit her system. In another ten minutes she’d be feeling good, not tipsy or drunk, but loose enough to dance and have a good time and not worry about the social anxiety bit.

“You’re totally taking anyone who hits on me, you know that right?” Beca asked.

“That’s what friends are for.” Veronica shrugged. “But if they’re ugly and I’m not interested you have to help me get rid of them by being as weird as possible or whatever.”

Beca laughed. “Weird I have got down. Don’t worry.” She finished off the last of her drink. “Come on, let’s go dance.”

They cut their way to the dancefloor. It was a little more packed there but people saw her wings for the most part and gave her the room she needed to move. It was the best time she’d had at a bar in a while, at least for crowding. No one wanted to move for a small woman who could just squeeze between them, but no one wanted to get hit with wings either. So this time it was almost like she got a free pass to move wherever she pleased with little difficulty. She wondered if this was how Mina felt all of the time. Probably. No one wanted to get run into by a six foot German woman who looked like she could kill them.

The song changed and Beca almost groaned. ‘Uprising’ by Muse started to play over the speakers. Of course this song would play while she was here. Veronica looked back at her and smirked.

“She’s here even when she’s not here, huh?” She asked started to move to the beat, jumping up and down a bit more than she was actually dancing.

“Yeah, you’d be surprised how much that actually happens. It happened even more when she was still in Germany, but whatever.” She started to dance, world becoming just a little foggy at the edges from the tequila.

They danced together for a few songs. Beca was feeling good and having fun. She forgot how good going out with a friend could be. She wondered when she could get the Bellas out here to go out with her. LA night life was supposed to be something else, not that she knew much about it. Hell, she could probably ask Stacie and she would know more just because she always knew about such things. But for now, Veronica was a lot of fun to be with and that was enough. She just missed her idiots a little bit, dancing with another friend.

Veronica’s eyes widened as another song came on. She jumped up and down a bit. “This is one of mine!” she said.

Beca smiled. “That’s awesome.”

“Sorry, I’m just, I’m not that big yet so I’m always surprised when I hear myself out and about, you know?”

“Definitely. I hope you know your sale will go up at least a hundred copies just from my friends buying the song I wrote for you. That will totally be me for the next forever about any song I wrote, or even helped write.”

“I wonder if that ever goes away,” Veronica mused.

“I don’t know, you tell me when you make it big.”

“Oh stop, I’m not exactly in the genre to make it big.”

“You don’t know that. People’s tastes change. Hell, there are those weird songs that make in on the radio that aren’t really anything like the others but they’re good songs so everyone likes them anyway. You could totally be one of those songs. You’ve got the skill. You’re music is awesome.”

Veronica was blushing. “Ok, enough with the praise. I can’t take it. Not that I don’t totally appreciate it and the artist in me is totally having a field day right now, but still. Stop or I’ll blush my face of or something.”

Beca laughed. “I’d like to see that happen. Like it just melts off or something, or?”

Veronica nudged Beca with her elbow. “So not funny. Shut up and dance short stuff.”

“Everyone and the short jokes just think they’re so clever.” Beca rolled her eyes but she did start to dance again.

They danced for a little while, song blending into song. Beca was tired of the ‘Monster Mash’ already. Didn’t the DJ know any other Halloween songs? But then again the rest of the set was good so she could ignore that. Mostly. The DJ in her was about to cut through the crowd and take over, but that wouldn’t be looked upon fondly and she’d get kicked out so she stayed put.

And then the music stopped all together and the DJ came over the speakers. “Alright guys, it’s time for the costume contest judging to begin. If you want to enter just come up to the front by the stage. The rest of you can stand back and watch or get your groove thing shaking again on the dancefloor. Prizes for the contest include a hundred bucks for first place, fifty for second, twenty five for third and two rounds of drinks for the honorable mention. Let’s go.”

Groove thing? Was this the seventies. Beca snorted and looked over at Veronica who had a thoughtful face.

“Oh my god, you’re actually thinking about entering,” Beca said.

“Well yeah, you’re the one who asked about costume contests. Might as well enter. The worst we can do is not win anything. And if we do win, money or drinks. Why not?”

Beca considered the logic. “Ok, fine, let’s go. Might as well get as much use out of these wings as possible.”

Veronica laughed. “Well, if you win then you’ll have only really spent fifty bucks on them.”

“That’s a lot more reasonable. I like how you think.”

They lined up together with everyone else who was by the stage. There were a good amount of people, but Beca saw some costumes that definitely wouldn’t win. They were piecemealed together and just eh. Those people had to have had the same general line of thinking as Veronica. Then there were of course some dudes with the stupid dick costumes. If any one of those won Beca was going to just quit life for a little bit. All in all she felt decent about one of them winning something. They both did look damn good.

One of the bar employees came out and organized them into rows and a minute later the judges came round and looked everyone over. Beca just stood there a little bored. Her buzz was wearing off, but then again she really didn’t want to leave her car here and take a cab home, so that was probably a good thing considering.  She wasn’t that asshole to drink and drive. She could dance some more after this with Veronica and she would be fine to go home.

Home, where Mina would be eventually in that sexy ass costume that she would get to take off of her and then have some pretty amazing sex. She licked her lips. Maybe she would tell Mina to use the cuffs on her tonight. Even better if Mina kept the costume on while fucking her. And then of course the taking off would happen later, but whatever. It would be worth it.

The judges went off to some corner to talk everything over. Beca watched them.

“Who do you think they liked the best?” Beca asked.

“No idea,” Veronica replied. “They had some pretty good poker faces while judging.”

Beca nodded. That they had. For the most part. Beca had grown used to reading subtle shifts in facial expression from when Mina went all into Kommissar mode so she’d definitely seen the distaste a few of the judges had shown some of the costumes.

Another minute later they came back and dismissed all but ten of the people. Beca smiled to herself as her and Veronica were still in the top ten. Well at least they’d achieved something by all of that effort shopping the day before.

The judges walked up and down the line again once more before talking again. It didn’t take as much time this time, probably because there weren’t as many of them to talk about and everything. They dismissed the bottom five and kept the top five. Beca and Veronica were still in the running. At least one of them was going to win something. That was damn exciting.  She forgot how heady a feeling competition and winning were. Well, she hadn’t won yet, but whatever. She would win something. Probably.

They handed first prize to a dude in a legit Iron Man suit. Beca wasn’t sure how the fuck he was moving around, let alone dancing in a club, but he definitely deserved the prize. She held her breath as they announced second. And it went to Veronica. She smiled brightly and bounced up and down a little bit as she took the money. Every male judge then had their eyes glued to her boobs, but she couldn’t really blame them too much. Veronica did have nice boobs.

Next came third place and Beca got hand an envelope. Score. She smiled and took it, slipping it quickly into her tiny ass clutch.

Honorable mention went to the best dressed vampire in the place and sexy Tarzan was left with nothing but a congrats. He smiled and shrugged as everyone else walked off back to the dance floor.

“So what do you say, Captain America, want to dance some more now that we’re the second and third best dressed in the place?” Beca smiled.

“Oh definitely. Gotta celebrate somehow, don’t we?”

“Of course.”

And they walked out onto the dancefloor and danced for about an hour more before they called it a night. They exited the club together, a little sweaty, and tired. Beca was glad that she’d actually gone through the effort to put on fixer spray for her makeup or she would be a heated mess.

“Thanks for coming out with me tonight,” Beca said as they were both walking to their cars.

“Oh, no problem. I had a lot of fun. We should do it again sometime. Next time you should bring your girlfriend. I want to meet her. Mostly I just want to see how fucking small you look next to her.”

“Haha, dude.” She stuck out her tongue. “But yeah, you should meet her. She’s awesome. I think you two would get along. Glad we’ve made it to that level of friendship where we meet the other’s significant other.” She laughed a bit awkwardly and hoped she hadn’t just screwed everything up by being her weird self.

“Me too, it’s nice having a friend outside the little hipster-ish circle I normally run it, you know?”

“I just think it’s nice having a friend out here at all. The rest of my friends are back in Atlanta.”

“Aw, was I your first friend here?” Veronica hip checked her gently.

“Yeah, but don’t let it get to your head.” She nudged her back.

“Too late,” she sing-songed.

“Oh no, how will you get your head through the door now? I see it swelling right now. You’ll just have to live on the street because doors will be impossible for you,” Beca deadpanned.

“Yeah, yeah I hear you. Your sarcasm is literally drowning me.”

“As it should be.”

Veronica laughed. She stopped and pointed down a side street. “My car’s down this way. I’ll text you when I get home, ok?”

“Ok, I’ll do the same. Get home safe and I’ll text you sometime tomorrow. Probably late. Sleeping in and all that is the best.”

“Uh huh, just don’t bang your girlfriend too hard.” She smirked before turning and walking away. “You’ve totally had that ‘I’m going to have sex later’ look on your face since we got out,” she threw over her shoulder. “And with a girlfriend like that who blames you.”

“Oh, shut up! I have not!” Beca shouted after her. She probably had, but whatever.

Veronica laughed and kept on walking. Beca shook her head and walked the rest of her way to her car. Yeah, well, she was just gonna go do exactly that. She grumbled good naturedly and drove off into the night.


	28. Chapter 28

Beca arrived home a little bit later. She opened her phone and texted Veronica that she was home. The other woman had already checked in saying she was safe and sound and crashing for the night. She was glad Veronica was all good as she put her phone away and grabbed out her wings from the back seat again. She looked around for Mina’s car, but it wasn’t there. There was a chance she’d taken a cab home if she was too drunk, though. Or she was still out. Since she’d had no texts from Mina she was probably still out.

She smirked. If she beat her home there was possibility for the night. She could leave the outfit on as is, or she could go for more a Victoria’s Secret type fallen angel. Oh the possibilities.

Beca made her way up to her apartment and unlocked the door. “Mina?” She called out.

“Mouse?” Mina called faintly.

Beca stood up a bit straighter. Mina didn’t exactly sound right even if her voice was bit muffled. She shot into the apartment quickly, forgetting about the wings on her back and knocking over a few things. She left them for later Mina was definitely more important right now.

She skidded into their bedroom a few seconds later. Mina was sitting on their bed with an ice pack held to her jaw.

“Oh my god, what happened?” Beca walked forward slowly, eyes roving over Mina to see if anything else was wrong.

“A fight broke out between two guys over a girl. The normal drunken idiocy, idiocy that I thought I’d left behind in college, but apparently grad school also has such spats. I helped my friend separate the two of them since I am rather muscular and tall and she isn’t really. I got punched in the jaw rather hard as a result,” Mina mumbled, not opening her mouth very far. “It hurts like a bitch, but it will heal.”

“Are you sure? We can go to the ER if you need it.” Beca shed her wings and threw them elsewhere along with her boots and crawled onto the bed. She took the ice pack in her hand and gently removed it. There was a rather large bruise forming and it was swollen, but it didn’t look life threatening or anything. Not that she really thought a punch to the jaw would be, but still. Her heart was beating like ninety miles a minute.

“I’ll be fine, mouse. I’ve taken some Motrin to take the swelling down and I’ve been icing it as well. It will be fine in a few days, but the bruise will take a while to fade, I believe.”

Beca sat back on her legs. Now that the immediate panic was fading, anger was starting to well up within her. She was going to find whoever punched Mina and end them. Like right the fuck now.

“Who did this to you?” Beca asked, clenching her fists.

“Mouse, it is fine, believe me when I say that he took enough punishment that I don’t believe he will be making the mistake of fighting again any time soon.” Mina reached out and took Beca’s hand. She uncurled Beca’s fingers and brought them up to her mouth, brushing her lips across Beca’s knuckles lightly.

Beca scowled. “Are you sure, are you really sure? Because I will totally go to town on them. No one fucking injures you. I’ll kick their ass.”

“Mouse, you are tiny. Not a kicker of ass. How many times must I tell you this?”

“Um, right now maybe a few dozen times because I’m just.” She huffed loudly. “I don’t want you to be hurt but you already are so the next best thing is to kick someone’s ass.”

“Oh, feisty mouse, there’s really no need.” She pulled Beca closer to her, wrapping her up in strong arms. “Do you not think that I didn’t take care of it myself? I love that you want to protect me, but it is not necessary. At least not in this instance. You may try to protect me from my self-sabotaging ways within reason, but physical altercations I can handle. It was a cheap shot and to…control the situation he might have been punched in the solar plexus in return. It really got a handle on the fight easily.”

Beca was a little more satisfied with that, but still. “Fine, ok, I’m glad at least you hit him back, but.” She settled more into Mina’s grip. “If I ever see him I’m still like punching him in the nose or something.”

“You won’t see him. Well, maybe you will if you visit me at school, but since we both have daytime responsibilities that possibility is slim. But he will not be allowed over at our apartment. I want nothing to do with a man who is mentally stuck at the age of eighteen. I do not have time for that and I am much too old to put up with such behavior.”

“Old, you’re like twenty-six.” Beca pulled back and looked at Mina.

“Not old as in I’m going to be using a walker soon, but just…I am not in that stage of life anymore. Nor are you. Would you want to hand around with a guy like that even at twenty-two?”

“Well, no.”

Mina pulled the ice pack away from her face and winced. “I didn’t think so. Will you do me a favor and go put this back in the freezer? I won’t need to ice it again for a while.”

“Sure, be right back.” Beca quickly ran to the kitchen and then ran back. “Are you sure there isn’t anything you need right now? I mean I’m up and everything so it wouldn’t be too hard for me to actually get it, you know?”

“Beca, I am truly ok for now. Sore, and I should probably stop talking so much because it does hurt a bit to do, but other than that, I have taken care of the immediate things. It isn’t my first time getting into a fight.”

Beca walked to the bed and climbed in on her side, still in her clothes from the club, but she didn’t care. “What do you mean, it isn’t the first time? Do you have some sort of like Fight Club past that I don’t know about?”

“No, but DSM has had a few…altercations in the past, both with other people and within the ranks. It’s impossible to not have conflict every now and again with people living in such close quarters. And as for the fights with others, mostly bar fights, mostly because we were helping to break things up. Though there were a couple of times where one of our members started a fight. They were subsequently let go, but yes. I have been punched before. And even before DSM there was college. Things do happen.”

“Um, yeah, I went to college and let me tell you I never got near a fist fight. I don’t even think I saw one even from a great distance away. Like where the fuck were you even?”

Mina laughed. “Very cheap bars with a clientele that wasn’t the most savory sort. But I was rather strapped for cash and that’s where we went when we needed to go out and have fun.” She shrugged. “Most of the time it was a non-issue. And DSM just travels to a great many places. More chances to see something then, ja?”

“Ja, I suppose. Either that or you really are in a fight club and just haven’t told me.”

Mina snorted. “No, no, I am not. I assure you. I would come home much more bruised and battered if that was the case.”

Beca nodded at that. “Fair enough.” She scooted over and wrapped her arm around Mina’s shoulders. She tucked her face into Mina’s neck. “Just try not to get in anymore fights then. Because I literally almost had a heart attack when I walked in the door and you didn’t sound right.”

“I’m sorry for scaring you, mouse.”

Beca kissed Mina’s neck lightly. “It’s fine, as long as you’re ok. Stupid German goddess.”

Mina chuckled and Beca shivered as the vibrations coursed through her.

“This was not where I wanted the night to go,” Mina said, one of her hands coming up to thread through Beca’s hair.

“Me either. I was planning on ripping you out of that devil’s costume and having my wicked way with you as your fallen angel.”

“Thematic couples costumes already?”

Beca felt her face heat. “Well, sort of, it wasn’t like we were going to the same party or anything. And you know, evil things usually a sexed up beyond belief. And I wanted to be damn sexy for you. Also I won a costume contest tonight at the bar. But mostly it was for you. Though twenty-five bucks didn’t hurt at all.”

“And who do you think the devil costume was for exactly?” Mina asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Totally for me. You almost killed me with it, you know that?”

“Oh, I am well aware. That was the point.” Mina laughed again.

“The point was to kill me? Are you trying to murder me? Sick of me already?”

Mina pushed Beca up so their eyes met. “Oh no, never, but killing you with your own arousal, that is all in good fun.”

“Evil, evil person.” Beca leaned forward and kissed Mina gently.

“Of course, mouse, if I wasn’t evil, what fun would that be?”

“You have a point.” She pushed up on all fours and crawled off the bed. Beca walked over to the dressed and pulled out some pjs. She stripped quickly and threw the pjs on and then went to wash her makeup off. Hopefully next Halloween would be more successful in the whole banging each other’s brains out because sexy costumes had turned them on, but for this one she didn’t want to risk hurting Mina anymore. But that didn’t mean there couldn’t be cuddles.

She slipped back in bed and snuggled up next to Mina. “So before the whole punching thing, did you have a good time at your party?” she asked.

“Ja, it was fun. My friends know how to throw a party. The music was quite good.” Mina rolled her eyes. “There were a few DSM covers mixed in. My friends think it rather hilarious that I was in an a cappella group before coming to grad school. To which I remind them that I have no student debt nor will I if my scholarships and fellowship fall through. That usually shuts them up, and yet I still hear them singing Uprising in a very bad German accent at points.”

Beca laughed. “Oh, that’s totally something I would do. Plus, I mean, DSM’s stuff is good party music anyway.”

“I can’t say I disagree, but then again I might be biased.” Mina nestled her face in Beca’s hair and inhaled. “You smell like club.”

“Really, I would have never known considering I just spent the best part of the night at one,” Beca deadpanned.

“Shower, little mouse, I don’t want our bed to smell like that.” She pushed Beca up and away.

“Mina,” Beca whined. “It’s like three in the morning. Can’t it wait? Pretty please?”

“Nope, I like you when you smell like you, not like stale alcohol and sweat.”

“Did you take a shower?”

Mina shrugged. “Of course. It didn’t smell like a club in there, but I still sweated a great deal. I did not want to go to bed like that.”

“Ugh, fine. But I mean. If you wanted a second shower, I wouldn’t be adverse to you joining me. Consolation prize to the fact that I have to get up.”

Mina snorted. “I think you will live. Besides, you like showering at night more and we both know it.”

Beca grumbled and pushed herself out of bed yet again. She grabbed a change of underwear and walked into the bathroom. She showered quickly, feeling the tiredness pulling at her limbs now.

When she got out Mina was curled up in their bed, snoring softly. Beca’s heart melted just a little bit. Her adorable dork. She dried her hair one more time before slipping into bed beside her. Mina was wrapped around her a second later. Beca sighed. This was as good a way as any to end the night. She closed her eyes and was asleep a few minutes later.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am literally so sorry that I fell off the face of the planet. I went home and apparently left my productivity back with my job at school. Anyway: GOOD NEWS EVERYONE, new chapter. SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTING NEWS EVERYONE, I'm starting back with actual classes in about a week and a half and am taking the GRE before that. Those are my main focus right now, and I'm also trying to crank out eight fics for Becommissar week that starts the 31st, everyone get excited. So in the mean time I'm going to drop down the updates from every couple days to once a week, which sucks, I know, but I have to stay sane to write, u feel? Anyway, with that, enjoy, and hopefully I can keep my shit together again and keep these actually constant.

A couple weeks later it was actually starting to cool down in LA. Beca was amazed. She thought it was going to stay hot for a fucking eternity or something. Now she could actually wear a jacket and jeans without burning up on her walk to work. It was great.

She walked into work and went to her desk. Veronica’s first single off the new album was dropping today. Mack had actually decided to go with the song she’d written first. She had argued against it gently, stating that Veronica deserved to have one of her songs first, but Mack and the marketing gods decided otherwise. Veronica had understood, for which Beca was grateful.

Beca resisted the urge to go straight to iTunes and see how the song was doing. That would be stupid. It was only the first day. She should really wait until at least the end of the day. If not the end of the week. Veronica was right in that she wasn’t in a super popular genre. But still, she had a good feeling. Veronica had a lot of skill. She made good music and people would notice that eventually.

Beca started to plow through her pile of demos for the day, trying to keep her mind off everything. She wondered if Lily had actually went through with those plans to hack into some foreign iTunes to send their sales skyrocketing. She hoped not, but then again, she sort of did? But still, she wanted Veronica to make it on her own, not because one of her weirdos helped them. And she would probably feel guilty and tell Veronica about it too, which would ruin it for her. No, hopefully Lily had just gotten the message and hadn’t done it. She was going to have to check on that later.

She’d already gotten some texts from her friends that they’d bought the song right as it released. Beca had sent them all thanks and smiley faces and asked them what they thought. Of course they all said great things about it. Beca appreciated it as much as she knew at least some of it was trumped up because she was their friend and they’d never say a bad word about it.

At some point today someone would call her with the song blasting in the background singing along. Beca would laugh and smile and it would mean the world to her. But for now she still had hours to go on a work day that was never going to end because she was waiting for something to happen. She knew a watched pot never boiled or whatever shit the old sayings said, but still. How exactly was she not supposed to watch the so called pot in this case?

She stuffed another demo into the computer and started to listen. Beca picked up her phone. The only one that would really know what she was feeling right now was Veronica. She might as well check and see how the other woman was doing. The demo she was listening to wasn’t exactly all too inspiring anyway.

“Are you dying to check how sales are doing too?” Beca sent.

“Dude, you have no idea. I hate this part of being an artist, just sitting back and waiting to see if people like it. I’d rather do a concert in front of like a million people.”

Beca didn’t know about that. How in the world would they even fit a million people into a stadium somewhere? There wasn’t any place big enough, right? Whatever, probably not the point here.

“I just want to know. Oh my god. But like I’m forcing myself not to look until the end of the day because if I look now I’ll just keep refreshing every five minutes and it’ll be bad,” she replied.

“I did that with my first round of singles. It was bad. I cheered every time the number went up. I think my roommates at the time wanted to kill me.”

“Considering I’m sitting in the middle of the label right now, someone would definitely kill me if I cheered every five minutes. Or at least throw a stapler or something. I’m not down for getting a stapler thrown at me.”

“I doubt anyone really is. Sounds painful.”

Beca snorted and set her phone aside. Yeah, painful was probably an understatement considering all the staplers around here seemed to be those giant ones that could punch through like fifty sheets of paper at a time. She would get at least a concussion from getting hit with one of those.

She went through a few more demos before she picked up her phone again. She had another message from Veronica, but more interestingly she had a Snapchat from Mina. She opened that immediately, almost dropping her phone when it started playing music really loud. She turned the volume down quickly and listened in. Mina was sitting out in a courtyard with a couple other people that Beca recognized as Mina’s lab buddies and they were dancing around to Beca’s song. The caption on the video said “I may have introduced my friends to your song.”

Beca smiled. She was glad they liked it. That made the desperation to check the sales a little less. Mina’s friends weren’t really pressured to like her songs like her own friends were.

She took a picture of her smiling face and sent it back to Mina. “Glad you guys are having fun.”

Beca opened up Veronica’s message. “I keep almost chucking my computer out the window because it’s so tempting. I need to go do something. You want to get lunch later? That’s something.”

“Yeah, sure, gets us both out and not obsessing. Btw, all the my friends have bought the song and say they like it. Though since they’re my friends who knows how accurate that is. But then Mina showed it to some of her friends and they looked like they were into it. That may be a bit more accurate of a response.”

“Awesome, that vegan place again? You like demolished the nachos the last time. Ah! Good. Even if they’re friends and have to like it, I don’t care at this point. Ugh, sometimes I hate being an artist for that whole ‘oh look uncaring public, here’s a piece of my heart. Please don’t squash it.’ It’s Not a fucking fun feeling.”

“Yeah, I get that totally.” She finished scribbling down her notes for the last demo. “But when they do like it, it’s so worth it,” she sent as an added message.

“True, but. Slightly losing my mind here.”

“Also true.” Beca moved on to the next demo. She looked down at the clock. Half a fucking hour had passed. Ugh. Fuck her this day really was going to drag ass.

“I think I’m going to go for a run. I’ll meet you later for lunch,” Veronica said.

“Cool, have fun, or at least as much fun as you can on a run. I’ll see you later.”

She put her phone away and went back to demos. Maybe if she found a really good one to listen to the time would pass faster, but she doubted it really. Ugh to the max.


	30. Chapter 30

Beca sat in her living room later with her laptop open and a glass of wine beside her. She hoped she wouldn’t need to chug the wine or anything in a second, but she was about to actually let herself check the sales for the day on the single. Well, she’d been saying that for a while now, but now that it was actually time to check, she was nervous and hadn’t actually managed to do it. What if the numbers super sucked or something?

Mina walked into the room. “Little mouse, if you don’t hit that button I will do it for you. You are thinking much too much about this.”

“Fine, fine I’m doing it.” She reached out a hand, but it hovered over the mouse. Now. She would do it right now. And yet her hand didn’t move. Great.

Mina rolled her eyes and was by her side in a second. She pressed the button and the screen loaded in a blink. Beca closed her eyes and squirmed on the couch.

“What does it say?” She asked Mina.

“Seven thousand five hundred and fifty-four downloads.”

“Over seven thousand!” Beca shot up from the couch and started to dance around for a second before she realized just how ridiculous she looked. She froze in the middle of the living room and looked back at Mina sheepishly. “Sorry, bit excited there.”

Mina smiled and walked over to her wrapping her arms around Beca’s shoulders easily. “For good reason, Beca. Seven thousand singles in a day for an artist who is not extremely well known is a good day. And since word of mouth about music is always important, there may be even bigger days to come. You wrote a wonderful song and Veronica sang it well.  You deserve to be happy.

Beca leaned up and kissed Mina. She loved the woman so damn much. Mina kissed her back, easily escalating the kiss, opening her mouth under Beca’s attentions and coaxing Beca’s tongue forward. She sighed just a little sank into the kiss. She loved kissing Mina too, love her taste, that sweet spice that almost mirror how she smelled. She felt like she was being wrapped up in Mina completely.

She shuddered as Mina’s tongue stroked her own teasingly before retreating back just a little. Beca chased after it, wanting and needing the connection. She moaned and her knees gave out just the tiniest bit as Mina rushed forward again, tongue massaging Beca’s. It felt wonderful. Even after all this time she didn’t know how the hell Mina was such a good kisser. She pulled her own tongue back and the Mina was inside her mouth, seeking out every place she knew made Beca groan at her touch and using it to her advantage.

By the time Mina pulled back a few minutes later, satisfied smirk on her face, Beca was almost a puddle of goo on the floor.

“Holy shit, what was that for? Not that you ever need a reason to do that, but I mean, still.”

“It was congratulations and a celebration of your achievement. But mostly I just wanted to kiss you. Because as you said, I don’t need a reason except for the fact that you are my little mouse.”

“You’re a giant teddy bear you know that? You only look frightening but on the inside you’re a total fucking softy.” She gently head-butted Mina in the chest.

Mina laughed and pulled back. She pointed at the still yellow and chin bruise on her jaw. “Oh, I’m only a fluffy teddy bear for those who deserve it. Other than that, I am very, very much a scary bear.”

“Gummibärchen maybe.”

Mina scowled. “A gummibear, really? I am not fruit flavored.”

Beca couldn’t resist. She wiggled her eyebrows. “I don’t know. That one time you ate pineapple right before we ended up in bed together there was definitely a fruity taste.”

Mina let out a disgusted noise. “Of course you would remember that.”

“Duh, I remember everything that I can use when I need to make a point.” Beca smirked.

“I’ll keep that in mind, mouse, for the next time I need to talk some sense into you. I have a very, very good memory. And yours is like a tiny fish at points.”

“Goldfish, you mean goldfish.” Beca stepped back and folded her arms over her chest. “And my memory is just fine, it’s just that sometimes when you look all hot and whatever I sort of lose my train of thought. That’s totally not the same thing.”

“Perhaps, but it is so cute to witness. Just as your complimenting insults were wonderful to witness as well when I first met you.” She stepped forward and cupped Beca’s face.

“Your hands are still really soft and I’ve been living with you for almost four months and I still don’t know what you do to keep them that way.”

Mina laughed. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure it out sometime. You are bright.” She bent down and pecked Beca on the lips once more. “But, I say, we go out tonight to celebrate the sales on the single. I’ve been wanting to try that more upscale Italian place down the road, if that’s what you want.”

“Italian is always good.” She picked up the wine glass on the table and drank half of it. “Besides, more wine goes with wine just fine. And breadsticks. Mmm breadsticks.”

“If they’re a real Italian place they won’t have the breadsticks you’re thinking of.” Mina stepped back and started for their bedroom.

“Hush, woman, don’t ruin my carb fueled fantasy.”

Mina’s laugh carried down the hall. “I can think of a few other fantasies of yours that could replace the bread.”

Well, Mina did have a point there. She walked after the woman. She couldn’t exactly go to a fancy-ish restaurant in sweats, no matter how comfy they were.

“Fine, ok, but bread and sex are two completely different things.”

“I would definitely hope so.” Mina peeked out from the closet. “Otherwise we have been doing things very wrong this entire time.”

“Oh, we may have been doing dirty things, but none of them were wrong. None of them.” Beca licked her lips. “Except for that one position that neither of us ever want to even think about again, but that’s like the only thing.” Beca winced just remembering that night. Nope never again. Her muscles never would forgive her.

“Yes, not that.” Mina threw an outfit on the bed. “But that on, mouse. I like you in deep blue. It brings out your eyes nicely. They are beautiful.”

Beca felt herself blushing just a bit at that compliment. She still wasn’t used to all the compliments that came from a relationship even months later. She liked them, definitely, but getting used to them wouldn’t probably be a thing that happened.

“Thanks. Though I like yours better, but I might be the tiniest bit biased.”

 Mina laughed, emerging from the closet holding a deep red dress. Beca’s eyes widened. She’d totally seen that dress in the closet before while going through stuff to try to find something to wear. It was…Beca had a feeling she was going to have a hard time concentrating. But then again maybe this was going to be a celebration in more ways than one. She was ok with that too. She was always ok with that. She was Beca Mitchell the twenty-three year old female teenaged boy after all.

“I am biased as well. There is bias everywhere. That’s why you must account for it in your testing.” She walked forward and kissed Beca on the forehead. “Now change, mouse, we want to eat before the next century starts, ja?”

“Yeah, yeah. I got distracted again.”

“You do that quite a bit, mouse.” Mina smirked before shucking her blouse into the hamper along with her pants. She frowned down at her bra before shedding that too.

Beca stared and sighed before managing to look away. “Gee, I wonder why. It’s not like you make it hard or anything parading around in literally only panties or anything. No,” Beca drew out the last word as she started to change herself. “Huge, giant, German temptress. You’re probably like a succubus or something and I just don’t know it. Got that whole chi sucking thin going on and I just don’t see the freaky weird blue glow or anything because I’m too far gone because you’re too fucking good at sex.” By the end she was mostly mumbling to herself but Mina was laughing none the less.

“Lost Girl, really? I assure you, I am no Bo. But if you are anyone on that show you are Kenzi. You’re utterly ridiculous and my favorite character.”

Well, Beca did like Kenzi so she really couldn’t protest that comparison too much. Too much being the operative part of that thought. “Hey! I don’t dance around and pretend I’m a spiritual healer or anything.”

“Perhaps not, but I’m sure you and Bellas got up to a great many shenanigans that I am not privy to just yet.” Mina smirked as she slipped on her dress over her head. “Zip me up?” She turned her back to Beca.

Beca stepped forward and kissed Mina’s back lightly, making Mina shiver just slightly, before she pulled the zipper up all the way. “There you go. Though your arms are so long I don’t see how you can’t do it yourself.”

“One, it is easier if you do it even if I can do it, two if I did it then I wouldn’t get to feel your lips on my skin. You are terribly predictable, Beca. You always kiss me when you get close to me. Or at least hug me. You are even more tactile than I am. I don’t even think you realize it.”

“Who says I don’t realize it?” Beca stepped back and put her own dress on, the fabric clinging to her nicely. It was a nice dress and she looked good in it. Why didn’t she wear this more often? Right, dresses usually weren’t her thing. But she always did look great. “You’re literally perfection personified. Who wouldn’t want to touch that as much as possible?” She looked away. “Also, when we’re in public if I touch you a lot it’s very clear that you’re mine and I sort of like that?” That statement could either go badly or very, very well.

“Slightly jealous, mouse?” Mina stepped over to Beca and she lifted Beca’s chin so the brunette had to look at her.

“Uh, not really jealous per say, it’s more possessive. But like I realize you’re your own person and everything, and I’d never actually disrespect that, but that whole girlfriend thing you sort of allow me to have some sort of claim over you and…” she trailed off not sure if she was digging herself into a deeper hole or trying actually getting herself out of said hole.

Mina laughed. “Yes, I do. So long as you don’t think that that gives you any right to truly control my actions, then that will continue. Talking over my decisions with me and being concerned is one thing, but demanding I do or not do something is another thing. But I think you already knew that.” She tapped Beca on the nose. “After all, midterms were like this, yes?”

“Yeah.” Beca sighed. Ok, land mine avoided on that one thank god.

“I thought so.” She looked Beca over. “Ready to go.”

“Shoes, and then yeah, ready to go.”

“Good, we shall go see if they have those breadstick you want.” Mina smirked and stepped into a pair of her taller heels. Beca felt even tinier for a second. She was going to need at least four inch heels to feel normal sized again. Ugh, those were going to be a bitch to walk in, but she was totally not feeling like a midget.

She slipped into the closet, found a pair of just plain black heels. Those would do. She put them on and walked back out, wobbling just a bit in the carpeted area, but finding her balance quickly. She had worn heels enough it shouldn’t be an issue at all, but sometimes she had a habit of biting it. Whatever.

“Okay, now ready to go,” Beca said as she exited the closet.

Mina offered her arm. “Well then, let us.”

They walked out of their apartment and down the street to the best Italian food Beca had ever had. It really was a great celebration, especially with what came after.


	31. Chapter 31

Beca started at the date. Two days. Their six month anniversary was two days away. They hadn’t really made a big deal of any of the other months. The first three it had just be an almost joking exchange of “Happy Anniversary” since it wasn’t like they could do anything else half a globe away. The months Mina had been here they’d just spent the day together, maybe had dinner, there was a flower here or there. But this was their six month anniversary. They’d made it six months together. Half a year. That was more significant. It deserved something more, maybe not like all out like a one year anniversary or anything, but like, something more than a flower.

But what the fuck what she supposed to do exactly? What exactly was in the middle? Was there anything in the middle? Like there was cute just stay at home little things and then there was like sweeping dinners at expensive places or other things that took like planning, like more planning than she had time for planning. What could she get together in like two days?

She wracked her brain. Ok, she had planned the date in Copenhagen. She’d planned a few smaller ones here too. She could plan. She just had to put her mind to it.

Beca bit her lip. The date in Copenhagen. She’d taken Mina to a theme park. Albeit a small one by American standards, but still an awesome one. That had made a great date. And they were only a little bit away from Disneyland. That could be awesome.

At least she thought it would be awesome. Maybe she should ask someone just to be sure it wasn’t like stupid that she was mirroring their first date. She picked up her phone and hovered over a few names. Veronica, Chloe, Fat Amy, which one should she text? Or should she just text all of them and get everyone’s opinions that way she had more than one if she didn’t like what they said. Then again if she didn’t like what they said then she probably should just do whatever she wanted instead of what they wanted because it was her date after all.

Ugh. She tapped Chloe’s name and typed out a text. “So it’s our anniversary in two days and it’s been six months and I want to do something bigger than we have been. Do you think it’s a corny idea to do what we did on our first date, well second date-ish, but like first official date, or is it a cute idea?”

“Wait, the one where you guys went to Tivoli Gardens? You’re going back to Denmark? That might be a bit much.”

Beca scrunched her face. Yeah, that was a little much, but that wasn’t what she meant so. “Uh, no, we can’t just drop everything and go to Denmark. I meant like the premise of the date. Disneyland is like right down the road from us. It will take like thirty minutes to get there tops.”

“Oh, oh, then I think it’s cute. Besides, theme parks are always a fun date. Aubrey took me to Six Flags and it was so much fun. You should hear this cute laugh she does on roller coasters.”

Beca could imagine the happy, bubbly tone that went along with that message. “Ok, cool.” She couldn’t actually imagine Aubrey laughing. Ok, she could but still. That just seemed like an oxymoron almost. Then again, Aubrey’s personality wasn’t much different than Mina’s personality when she went all Kommissar on her ass. Except that Mina was a fluffy teddy bear under all that, and not deep under that. Aubrey wasn’t as fluffy, or if she was, only Chloe saw that side. Which was cute if she thought about it. But yeah, not what she was here for.

“Are you sure, though? I mean I really don’t want to screw it up, you know?” She sent a second later.

“Yes, Becs, I’m sure. You’re the one who thought of it. And I’m sure if you thought of it Mina will love it. She already loves you. Proves she has good taste ;)”

Beca rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, cheese ball. Thanks for your input. I might ask Veronica too. And maybe Amy, but god knows what sort of advice I would get from her. Something facetious about running with emus or some shit.”

“Oh yeah, definitely, though recently she’s been on a koala kick. Apparently they’re little shrieking demons. Don’t ask me dude.”

Beca snorted. Yeah, sounded like Amy all right. “Maybe just Veronica then. Safer for my sanity.”

“Probs a good idea. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll be fine really. You’re better at planning dates than you think you are. Just look at the advice you gave me about that date with Aubrey last month. It went so well.”

“Thanks, Chlo. I’ll let you know what Veronica says. And you’ll totally be pulled more into planning this later when I settle on an idea.”

“Duh, that’s what best friends are for.”

Beca switched tabs and typed out a message asking Veronica the same question.

“Are you going back to Denmark? Like I know our song has done pretty well, but like, not that well,” Veronica sent back.

“Why does everyone keep thinking that? No, I’m just going to take her to Disneyland, dude. It’s a date _like_ the one we took the first time we went out. Not the exact thing. That would be for like proposing or something.” Beca stared at her phone for a second. She needed to file that idea away for later.

“Oh, ok, that makes sense. I think that’s cute. It like echoes the first date but it’s not like super over the top like the whole dinner and candles thing would be. Plus roller coasters, dude. I’m a sucker for them.”

“That’s what everyone’s been saying too. Or at least the gist of it. Chloe was more talking about Aubrey’s laugh on them, but I know she loves them too. So. Mina does like them, she just hates the lift hills. I could probably get her to hold my hand this time. That would be super cute.”

“Yes it would. So are you decided now? Or are you still going to worry over this some more?”

Veronica already knew her so well. “I think I’ll go with the whole Disney idea. There’s already do much to worry about planning-wise that I might as cross off one of my list.”

“What’s there to worry about, you buy tickets, you go to Disney? Tada, date.”

Beca shook her head. “Are dates ever actually that simple, really? We’re girls. We want everything to be perfect.”

“Perfect doesn’t matter, effort does, though. You lifted a finger and did something out of the box. It’ll be fine. She’ll love it. And it’s fucking Disneyland. Who is actually going to say no to Disney?”

Well, she did have a point there. “Ok, ok, fine, I’ll try not to over complicate everything in life, but I make absolutely no promises on that account.”

“As long as you try not to stroke out, that’d be cool. I like my friends staying alive.”

Beca snorted. “Thanks. I’ve got planning to do and not stroke out over so I should probably do that. Knowing Chloe she’s already looked up at least five places in Disney to eat and will be giving me the run down on price, menu, location, how hard they are to get into and everything under the sun. Handy, really, if a little over done.”

“All I know if that the chocolate covered bananas there are awesome. Don’t ask me anything else.”

“Not even favorite rides?”

“Motion sickness, rides aren’t my friend. I just go for the parades and what not when I do go.”

“Fair enough. I’ll give you the low down when I’m done picking everything out.”

“You better.”

Beca switched over to Chloe’s tab and typed out. “You totally already looked things up, haven’t you? Don’t say no, Chlo, I know you. Spill.”

She braced herself. This was going to be a very long planning session she could tell already. Oh well, when it was done she would have a date completely planned and that would be worth it.


	32. Chapter 32

Two days later Beca shot up out of bed just as the alarm went off. Today was the day. She looked over to find Mina’s side of the bed already empty. That wasn’t really odd considering Mina got up early to exercise most days. She stretched and padded into the closet, grabbing out a t-shirt and jeans. It was supposed to be in the low seventies today for a high. That was perfect. She was glad that LA had weird weather and actually stayed warm even in November, though now it was actually a liveable temperature instead of an oven.

“Mouse?” Mina’s voice called from the bedroom.

Beca walked out of the closet, pulling on her shirt. “Yeah?” She finished pulling on her shirt to find Mina standing there with a tray full of breakfast and an amused smile.

“Oh shit, I sort of ruined your whole breakfast in bed vibe by getting up earlier than normal, didn’t I?”

Mina nodded. “Yes, but I believe we are still in the bedroom so it will be easy to fix.” She motioned with her head for Beca to sit back down.

Beca complied leaving her jeans on the end of the bed, crawling back to her side and flopping down half dressed. She inhaled and hummed. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Mina had gone all out American for breakfast. She totally appreciated it.

The blonde set the tray down gently and sat down carefully beside Beca. She leaned over and kissed Beca, lingering for a few long moments. “Happy Anniversary, liebling.”

“Happy Anniversary,” Beca whispered back, leaning forward and kissing Mina once more.

Mina drew back, licking her lips with a satisfied look on her face. “Now, let up breakfast before we let it grow cold.” She reached out and poured a cup of coffee from a carafe, poured milk and sugar into it and stirred and handed it to Beca. Beca took it and sipped. Mmm, it was from their stash of good stuff.

She stashed the cup on the night stand and grabbed a strawberry from the plate and ate it. Perk of living in California was all the strawberries were actually fresh, which was so great she couldn’t even begin to say.  She caught a little errant stream of juice with her tongue and finished off the fruit to find Mina staring at her.

“What?”

“Nothing, mouse, you just make eating fruit a very seductive act and I find that wonderful as well as slightly mind boggling. It’s just fruit.”

Beca shrugged. “I mean, strawberries and sex aren’t exactly completely separate concepts sometimes. Sort of like whip cream. Actually I’d fucking love to lick whip cream off of you. We should try that sometime.”

“Are you saying I’m not sweet already?”

Beca laughed. “Oh no, trust me, you’re addicting on your own, but like, whip cream would just be extra, you know?”

Mina kissed Beca on the forehead. “I think I do.” She grabbed a plate and loaded it with some of everything and handed it to Beca. “Eat up.”

“When it comes to your cooking, always, dude, you have no idea.”

Mina laughed and started to make her own plate. “Believe me as much as I’ve seen you eat and as eagerly, I am well aware.”

Beca elbowed Mina gently. “I think there was a fat joke in there somewhere.”

“No, just an observation. You are perfect just the way you are.” A hungry look came into Mina’s eyes that had nothing to do with food.

“Thanks. But we all know you’re the perfect one. Remember, physically flawless.” She paused and smirked. “But it doesn’t mean I like you.”

“No, I think it means you love me after all these months.” Mina smiled and started to eat her breakfast.

“Yeah, it does. Block head.” She nudged Mina again and started to eat her own eggs. She ate all of them before she grabbed the syrup and poured it over the bacon and pancakes liberally.

“Bacon and syrup? Why?” Mina scrunched her nose.

“Duh, it’s great.” She scooped up a piece of bacon. “Try it, trust me.”

“You also think pineapple on pizza is acceptable, if not your favorite, why should I trust you?”

“Because I’m your girlfriend and I only have your best interests at heart.” Beca fluttered her eyelashes.

Mina rolled her eyes and took the offered piece, biting off some and handing back the rest. She chewed for a minute before shaking her head. “No, that I do not like. But you, I like so I suppose this will be forgiven.”

“Gee, I just feel that forgiveness pouring right off of you,” Beca deadpanned. She picked up the rest of the bacon slice and stuffed it into her mouth. “You just only have good taste in women it seems, not in food.”

“I’m the one who makes all of your food. Well, most all of your food. You can hold your own if you wish and put effort into it,” Mina teased.

“Yeah, yeah. Food combinations then? I don’t know. Something.” She started to eat her pancakes, saving the best for last was always the best.

“You’ll figure it out.” Mina spread butter on her pancakes and a very minimal amount of syrup before diving in.

“How do you not like, like ridiculous amounts of syrup on your pancakes? It’s not natural.”

“Bacon and syrup isn’t natural either and yet you eat it.”

“Fair enough.” Beca laid her head on Mina’s shoulder. “Agree to disagree on the subject of breakfast it is then.”

They finished up their food and Mina stacked everything on the tray.

“You have no plans for today, right?” Beca asked as they both walked to the kitchen. If Mina had planned something too then they were a little screwed. She hadn’t even really thought about Mina planning anything. Which was totally an oversight on her part. Oops. She had wanted it to be a surprise but if they both had planned things then the surprise wouldn’t fucking matter then would it?

“No, just to spend it with you.”

Beca smiled. “Good, those are my plans too, but they sort of involve leaving the apartment.”

“Oh, do they?” Mina cocked an eyebrow and started to load all the dirty dishes into the dish washer.

Beca joined her and everything was put away quickly. “Yeah, they do. It’s all outside too, so dress for that.”

“What exactly do you have planned for the day, liebling?”

“Well, I mean, it’s something special, obviously since half a year is sort of significant. But can the rest be a surprise until we get there? It should be pretty obvious when we get closer.”

Mina titled her head to the side, thinking. “Hmm, I suppose so. Let me go get ready then.”

“Yeah, pants, pants for me would be a good idea.”

Soon they were both ready and dressed and out the door. Mina folded herself into Beca’s car and they were off towards Disneyland. Traffic was light at least until they got a little closer to Disneyland. Then again it was Saturday morning so that made sense. Beca felt herself getting more and more excited as they got closer. She was totally getting a picture with every Disney character she saw with Mina. Because it would be ridiculous, one, and two because Mina would give her that look where she was totally humoring Beca and it was cute. And eventually she would figure out what Mina’s favorite Disney character was and that was always a plus.

Chloe had given her like this entire mapped out version of what they would do as soon as they got to the park to when they left, and Beca planned to stick to that at least somewhat, but there was also something to be said for being spontaneous too. After all, she really hadn’t known what the fuck she was doing at Tivoli Gardens and that had turned out great too.

“May I take a guess at where we are going now?” Mina asked when they were about ten minutes away.

“You can, totally.” Beca switched lanes to avoid a granny who was literally going forty on the highway.

“Disneyland?” Mina asked.

“Got it in one.” Beca looked over at her for a split second before looking back at the road. “I thought it would be cute since we can’t exactly go back to Tivoli at the drop of a hat, but we can totally go to Disney since it’s like right here.”

Mina reached out and grabbed Beca’s free hand, squeezing it lightly before interlacing their fingers. “It’s a wonderful idea. I wonder why I didn’t think of it. You are a wonderful girlfriend.”

“Thanks, I try, and sometimes I fail, but I do try.”

Mina laughed. “Yes do you.”

They pulled into the parking lot and then walked like five miles just to get to the gate, but the closer they got the more Beca felt like a five year old going to Disney for the first time. She’s been to Disney World too, but there was just something about Disney in all its iterations that was just…awesome. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

Beside her it looked like Mina was starting to get truly excited too. Beca could see the smile on her face growing bigger and the excitement sparking in her eyes. She’d been so worried that this would be a bad choice and that Mina would hate it, but she wasn’t worried about that anymore. She bit the inside of her lip as she wondered if she could win Mina another little prize. That would be cute.

Together they handed in their tickets and had their bags searched before they were set loose on the park. Beca turned to Mina. “What do you want to do first?”

Mina looked around, taking everything in for a few seconds and just shaking her head. “I have no idea.” She looked back at Beca. “Do you have anything in mind?”

“Uh, dunno, Space Mountain is always a classic. Honestly, Chloe had this whole schedule planned out but like, I’m so distracted right now I don’t even know.”

Mina cocked an eyebrow, tearing her eyes away from the multitude of sights in front of her. “Oh so Chloe planned this date did she?”

“Dude, she’s planned like all of our dates to the exact minute. I provide the big picture idea and she’s off and running with the details. Most of the time I just pick out what sounds the best and go with that and don’t tell her that I didn’t follow the plan to the T. She’d get cranky. She takes friend advice to the next level. All I usually want to know is if it’s a good idea.” Beca shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed that she’d just admitted to sort of not planning their dates out fully.

“Ah, I see.”

“Yeah, I like our dates to be our dates. Though crazy amounts of knowledge does help them be better and junk. Like the place we’re going to eat later I would have never actually found without Chloe.”

“If it is good then you will have to thank the small red for me.”

Beca snorted. “What is it with you and nicknames?” She reached out for Mina’s hand and tugged her forward. “Come on, let’s go get Fastpasses. Those things are fucking gold.”

“Fastpasses?” Mina asked, coming willingly.

“Yeah, Fastpasses. They’re these passes that allow you to get on the ride faster, but the trick is you have to get them early because they’ll tell you to come back to the ride at a certain time. Supposedly they direct traffic to the times when the rides aren’t as busy, but whatever, shorter lines are great no matter what witchcraft they use to make it happen.”

“Clever of them.” She gasped and pointed. “Pirates of the Caribbean?”

“Oh yeah, there’s that too. I was totally planning on dragging you on that later.”

Mina smiled and suddenly Beca was being drug towards the entrance. “No dragging necessary. I love the first movie.”

“Let me guess your favorite is—”

Mina cut Beca off, completing her sentence for her. “Elizabeth, yes. She is a well written character and very kick ass. It doesn’t hurt that Keira Knightly is also attractive.”

“True, so very, very true,” Beca said, still trying to keep up with Mina’s pace. Stupid long legged German. “Most of the main cast in that movie is nice looking.”

“Also true. And the music is also very well put together. It fits the movie well and is very recognizable. They did well on that score.” Mina finally slowed down as they entered the line. Beca cast a look over at the little wait time board and it was only at fifteen minutes, which surprised her. Probably because it was still pretty early in the day. Or the board was completely wrong, but eh.

“Sometimes you’re such a science nerd that I forget you’re also a music nerd,” Beca said, making her way through the line.

“How in the world could you forget that I am also into music? After all, it is why we met.”

They reached the end of the line and Mina turned around and looked at Beca with an amused expression. “Because sometimes I have the memory of a goldfish and that whole thing you do where you explain science to me eclipses a lot of former knowledge that I had. Besides, I’ve known you more as a science nerd than I did as a music nerd. A hardcore music nerd in mesh and leather, but still a music nerd.”

Mina laughed. “Oh, but you liked the mesh and leather. I felt your eyes on me more than once at the riff off glued to my abs and chest.”

“Both of those things are amazing on you. Do you blame me?”

“No, because I was staring at your ass in those overly tight skinny jeans.” She turned around and walked forward again, leaving a slightly stunned Beca to catch up. Well, that was previously unknown information. Not that their sexual tension at worlds have come from nowhere, but still.

“You totally just can’t drop a bomb like that and walk away. Even though you were like five feet away. Whatever, doesn’t matter.” She poked Mina in the stomach.

Mina stifled an involuntary giggle and looked down her nose at Beca.

“That’s right ticklish, come at me.” Beca tried to put on a fierce face but it probably wasn’t working because Mina just laughed again.

“Tiny, feisty mouse.” She reached out and took Beca’s hand again. “Don’t you understand that I love playing with you? That’s what cats do, yes?”

“Ja, ja, whatever. Just make me look like an idiot in public. Like I don’t already do that myself without help.”

The line moved forward again and Beca could see the room where people were loading into the cars. Awesome. She was used to waiting longer at Six Flags and figured Disney would be even worse, but it looked like it wasn’t going to be. At least at this ride. She shouldn’t jinx herself like that.

“But at least it’s cute,” Mina said, inching forward once more.

“You’re like legally bound to say that as my girlfriend.”

Mina cocked an eyebrow. “Really, little mouse, when have you know me to actually bend to the will of silly social conventions? Do I not say what I mean?”

“No, you do, but like…ok, my point has no real leg to stand on right now, but shhh, pretend I actually can make a decent argument and we’ll be totally cool.”

Mina snorted and shook her head. “I will do that just for you, then.”

“Good.”

They waited a short amount of time before they finally got on the ride and coasting into the darkness in front of them. Mina was beside Beca, sitting up eagerly, looking around, waiting for everything to begin. All Beca could really hear was water and some annoying voice moaning dead man’s cave and then Davy Jones was above them with his weird tentacles face doing the whole ‘warn you of your doom’ thing Beca smiled and sat forward a bit.

The cart coasted past a scene with a bunch of skeletons, impaled on swords and then past another scene of a wrecked ship as the sound of a storm swirled around them, lightning flashing in the background. And then suddenly they were in the dark and another second later the cart dropped. Beca squeaked just a bit and beside her Mina laughed.

“Oh hush.” Beca slapped at Mina’s arm. “Or I’ll make you ride it’s a small world alone.”

“I’m so scared, mouse. Now shush.”

The drop brought them into a room where a staged cannon fight was going on. People were shouting, guns were going off, flashes littering the room’s landscape. From the amount that Jack Sparrow was yelled, Beca got the impression that it all had something to do with him. The next room was a bunch of pirates interrogating others about Jack’s whereabouts in town, so she was proved quickly right.

They coasted the rest of the way through the town slowly. Beca took everything in, and though it wasn’t a super exciting ride, she was definitely entertained. They emerged a few minutes later back into the Southern California sunlight and Beca was sure she was blind there for a few seconds before her vision actually adjusted and she could see again.

“Well that was definitely entertaining,” Beca said as they started to walk again. She pointed them in the direction of Space Mountain, where they were headed in the first place, though she had no doubt that they would making like five more stops along the way.

They wandered around the park, Beca grabbed Fastpasses for anything she thought was interesting and stuck them all in her pockets. Thank god for skinny jeans with real pockets and thank god for the internet where she could actually find such things. Jesus, why would women need pockets? It’s not like they had anything to carry around or anything. Beca rolled her eyes and kept shoving things in her actual pockets that were actually worth something and decided not to think about the idiocies of the fashion world for the day.

They rode the tea cups which made Beca entirely too dizzy to walk straight afterwards, which of course Mina laughed at her and managed to walk in a straight line even after spinning around in a circle at a very rapid rate. Because maybe she was a fucking android or something because Beca didn’t understand how that was fucking possible and yet here they were.

When the world stopped spinning Beca looked up from the park bench at Mina. “How the hell, man? You should be walking like a drunk man and yet you’re completely fine. How the hell?”

Mina shrugged. “You decided not to be ticklish by mind over matter. I am the same way with dizziness. In a way anyway, I just think about the conflicting signals my brain is getting and narrowing it down to the ones I know should be getting through and focusing on those.”

Beca just started at her. “That might be a little bit more scary than the whole ticklish thing and you sort of looked at me like I was the antichrist when that happened.”

“Because being ticklish should be something you can control. It’s an automatic response.”

“And dizziness isn’t?” Beca asked, standing up. She reached in her pocket and took out her Fastpass stash. “It’s like eleven, there’s like two Fastpasses for the Indiana Jones thing and the Haunted Mansion are for this hour. You wanna go ride those?”

“Sure, sounds good. Though I have never seen any of the Indiana Jones movies.”

Beca shrugged. “Me either, but I guess we’ll get to see what it’s all about in a second, won’t we?”

Mina nodded and they started to walk back the way they came. They got in the Fastpass lane and walked quickly onto the ride. Beca really didn’t understand and of the décor, but then again she might if she had actually watched the movie.  But then they were on the ride and there were flames and it was definitely a step up from the tea cups and pirates ride. Holy shit.

Beca walked off of that ride with an adrenaline rush. “Wow, that was great.” She shook herself. “I always feel like I can take on the world after rides like that.”

“You are still tiny, mouse. I doubt you can take on the world.”

Beca rolled her eyes and pulled Mina to a stop in the middle of the lane. There were people behind them that let out disgusted noises, but Beca didn’t care. She leaned up and kissed Mina for a long moment, keeping it as PG as possible for the kids around them before pulling away and smirking.

“That’s as close to taking on the world as I need to get, really. I think I see some middle class white moms glaring at us like we’re going to murder some people next. It’s great actually.”

Mina looked around for a second before smirking as well. “Yes, I admit that look is quiet comical. She looks like she’s constipated honestly.”

Beca laughed louder than she wanted to. “Uh, yeah,” she said as soon as she calmed down. “She really does. But anyway. Haunted Mansion next?”

“Sounds good.” They walked off in that direction leaving the constipated mom to her business of having a stick up her ass.

They hit a few more rides before Beca lead them over to the little game stations. She smiled at Mina. “So any prize you want this time?” she asked, motioning to the guy that they were going to play.

“What about the Pikachu? Pikachu is also a mouse.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “Really?” She handed over the money and sat down on the little stool.

“Of course. You have a cat, I need a mouse, don’t I?” Mina sat own on the stool beside her as the man clicked the pedals to turn on the little water guns.

“Doesn’t exactly go with the stuffed vampire, now does it?”

“No, it doesn’t, but I think I will survive if something does not match.”

The bell rang overhead and Beca got right to work, shooting towards the target and holding steady, watching as the little race car shot across the booth. Mina’s was right behind hers and Beca looked over to see a little furrow between Mina’s eyebrows. She was so adorable when she concentrated hard.

Then the winning siren sounded and Beca looked up to see her car was lit up and she smirked at Mina. Mina stuck out her tongue. Still super competitive as always. Beca just grinned as the man working the booth came up to them.

“Which prize from the bottom shelf?” He looked like he could give two shits but Beca just smiled at him.

“The Pikachu.”

He reached under the counter and pulled out a Pikachu. “There you go. Have a magical day.” He smiled but it was fake as plastic.

Beca pulled Mina up and then handed her the Pikachu. “There you go, your own little electric mouse.”

Mina laughed and hugged the little stuffed toy close to her. “For all your many talents, mouse, you aren’t electrical, or else I would say that I already had a little mouse. Sadly, it doesn’t quite work.”

They walked off again and finally actually made it to Space Mountain to grab Fastpasses. They were for a couple hours off and Beca just shrugged. More time to do whatever. She looked up at Mina.

“Anything in mind now that we’ve walked around and seen some things?”

“Can we walk through the castle? That seems like such a common thing that everyone does, we might as well experience it.”

Beca nodded. “Sure, let’s go do that. Wanna grab lunch while we’re at it. We have reservations at a place for dinner that’s nice and everything, but for lunch we’re free for whatever.”

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I keep seeing pretzels and I want one.”

Beca looped her arm through Mina’s. “As the last wishes. Oh, cinnamon pretzels, yum.”

Mina rolled her eyes. “Americans and having to mess with something that is already perfect the way it is.”

“Pretzels were invented in Germany, weren’t they?” Because that was totally Mina’s ‘food is better in Germany and you can’t convince me otherwise’ voice. She rolled her eyes. Her girlfriend was completely ridiculous.

“Yes, they did, why do you ask?”

“Because if a food comes from Germany, or is really famous there, you get slightly protective about it. It’s cute, and also slightly annoying because I totally don’t get that way over apple pie. Actually, I don’t even like apple pie that much.” She shrugged.

“Live in a foreign country for a while and we’ll see if you don’t get a little defensive of American food.”

“I probably wouldn’t. Because it’s America. I’m not exactly sure there is much to defend that’s actually truly ours. It’s not like we really invented apple pie or fried chicken. Oh, though I’ll defend cornbread. God bless cornbread.” She looked around, wondering if they could actually find a place with cornbread. Since it wasn’t the South, even if they could find cornbread it wouldn’t be quite right. Which was sad, because Beca was totally craving it now.

“Fair enough. I really just imagined hot dogs and hamburgers as American food before I actually visited the US.”

“Yeah, right? That’s basically what everyone thinks. Actually, that’s sort of what I think too. Is that bad?” She shrugged. “And pizza, can’t forget pizza.”

“But that’s technically Italian.” Mina looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“True, but like, do you think the Italians would have actually made pizza was it is in the US now. Have you seen deep dish pizza, really?”

“No, actually. I know of it, but I’ve never had it.”

“I really haven’t either, at least the legit stuff. I’ve never been to Chicago. We should go sometime just for the pizza. And other things, but like, pizza.”

Mina laughed. “I suppose a trip like that could be arranged.”

“Awesome, I’m all for food tourism.”

They strolled through Disney, dodging slow moving families and old people. There were only a few couples their age walking around, but that was fine. Beca saw the Evil Queen strolling through the crowd ahead of them. She looked up at Mina and smirked. Oh, this was going to be good.

“Come on,” Beca said, pulling Mina a little faster.

“Where are we going?”

“Not really where, but who are we catching up with.”

“What?” Mina followed behind her easily even as Beca was walking basically as fast as she could without breaking into a run.

“You’ll see in a second. We’re totally getting a picture.”

She knew the second Mina saw who they were going after. “The Evil Queen, really?”

“Yeah, really. I mean you sort of remind me of the Evil Queen sometimes, especially when you’re in Kommissar mode. You can’t tell me you don’t see the comparison here.”

Mina glared down at Beca, looking both evil and regal at the same time. “I suppose.”

Beca pointed at her face. “See, that’s exactly what I mean.”

Mina rolled her eyes but kept walking with Beca as they caught up with the Evil Queen.

“Excuse me?” Beca said and the Evil Queen turned towards them, glaring at them for all she was worth. Beca was cowed for all of a second, before she realized that this woman had nothing on Mina when she was mad.

“Who dares to stop me? Do you know you who I am?” The woman asked, drawn on eyebrows raising severely.  

“We know exactly who you are, that’s why we stopped you,” Beca said playing along with a smile still on her face. “After all, we have to take a picture with the fairest of them all, don’t we?”

The Queen looked them over haughtily. “Fine, fine, if you must. Peasants.”

Beca snickered and handed her phone to Mina. “Take a picture please, engel?”

Mina took the phone and stepped back as the Queen crossed her arms and looked murderous and Beca stood beside her with her thumbs up and a huge smile on her face. When Mina signaled that the picture was taken she switched places quickly. Mina looked down at the smaller costumed woman with an amused smile on her face as the woman tried to glare her into submission. Beca snapped the picture and threw another thumbs up.

“It is a good glare, but I commanded a group of German diva performers. Nothing much scares me,” Mina said before walking back to Beca.

“I should scare you. I could have your heart in a box if I commanded.”

Mina laughed. “Your huntsman doesn’t have a good track record on that account.” She linked her arm through Beca’s. “Thank you for the picture.” She pulled Beca away still laughing quietly. “I don’t know how she keeps a straight face all day,” Mina said once they were out of earshot. “I don’t think I could.”

Beca snorted at that. “You totally could keep a straight face. All those lines at worlds that were just ridiculous and you kept a straight face. Ridiculous lines from the both of us and you just kept that superior smirk on your face. ‘Don’t cry much, makes eyes puffy.’ I mean really.”

“Ah yes, I do remember that. Personally I liked the line about my neck being tired from looking down on you better.”

“That one was good, little harsh, but clever. More short jokes of course. Because you wouldn’t be Mina if there wasn’t a short joke aimed at me at some point during the day. She nudge Mina lightly.”

Mina smiled warmly and leaned down to kiss Beca’s temple. “I may joke about it frequently, but I enjoy that you are so short. I like wrapping you up in my arms and feeling like I can protect you from anything out there. Also, it’s just so very cute, tiny mouse.”

“Short people are always angry about their height. Don’t you know that by now?”

“No, I hadn’t noticed,” Mina deadpanned. “I have been absent the entire time I have known you because that is the only way I would have missed. You are also feisty, remember?”

“I don’t think I’ll forget any of the iterations of mouse that you call me, so yes, I really do remember.” She nudged Mina in the side.

Mina just laughed. “I’m glad you will remember those. I wouldn’t want you to forget anything about our time together.”

“Sap.” She rolled her eyes at Mina.

“You’re the one who took us to Disneyland for our six month anniversary.”

“Fair point, but it wasn’t like we traveled far out of way to do it or anything. I could have gone completely over the top and been a complete sap about it with the roses and fancy dinner or something. But you know, six months probably doesn’t merit that just yet. Maybe one year. Or maybe I’ll find something a little less cliché.”

“And what if I find something less cliché first?” Mina smiled. “You did all the planning for this, why not step back for the next one?”

“Fair deal I suppose.”

She looked at Mina’s pleased smile and wondered just what in the world the other woman was planning. She guessed she would find out in six months, but six months was sort of long time and she was most definitely impatient. But she knew Mina would be locked up tighter than Fort Knox with the whole secret planning thing so it wasn’t like she was going to get any details that way.

They kept walking until Mina pulled them to a stop in front of one of the old time shooting booths. An absolutely wicked smirk crossed her face.

“Come, little mouse, let us play that game.”

“Can you even shoot?” Beca asked as they walked over. With that smirk on Mina’s face the answer was yes, totally, but that wasn’t something that Beca actually knew about Mina and why she would have these skills was another thing she didn’t know either. Other than she was Mina and she was full of surprises even after six months.

“Wait and see.” Mina handed money to the man, picked up the air gun confidently as the man stepped back. She fired off ten rapid shots, hitting with every single one, knocking over the little metal targets easily.

Holy fuck. That was damn impressive. And also scary. Mark her down as scared and horny, for sure.

The man stepped back again. “What prize would you like, any one here. That was some nice shooting.”

“Danke.” Mina looked around the little tent and pointed at a large Cheshire Cat. “That one please.”

The man grabbed it off the wall and handed it to her. “There you go.”

Mina turned and gave it to Beca. “Have another cat for your collection.”

“You know, I would grumble about this, but I love the Cheshire cat so I’m just gonna take the win here and not complain about the whole cat and mouse motif.” Beca hugged the animal to her chest. “The only real question here is where are we going to put this while we ride rides?”

“I think he would fit in one of the big lockers if we squished him a bit.”

Beca nodded. It seemed like a good idea. “Let’s go find one of those. I don’t want him to get lost or dirty or anything.”

Mina held up her small Pikachu. “He can keep your cat company while he’s in there.”

They went in search of one of the lockers and found one pretty easily. Beca rented one of the bigger ones and typed in a PIN. These things were a lot more high tech than she remembered them being, but whatever. The door was locked and she didn’t have to wear a key on her wrist and look like an idiot. Or more likely, stab herself with the key and look like an idiot while Mina looked for someone to provide first aid with the whole Kommissar thing going on. Which would be cute but also terrifying. For the other people. For Beca it would just be painful because she got stabbed with a fucking key.

She shook her head. Right not actually going to happen so she should stop thinking about it. She grabbed Mina's hand. "Come on, we still haven't gotten to the best part yet."

Mina smiled and let herself be dragged off by Beca through the part.


	33. Chapter 33

They walked off and finally it was time for Space Mountain so Beca dragged them that way. She was kind of super excited, because it was a fucking ride. About space. And who didn’t love space? Plus, like, it was a ride that everyone went on in Disney, so there was that, but more that it was all about space.

They both walked into the Fastpass lane and got almost to the front of the line immediately. Beca loved Fastpasses, she really, really did. Mina looked around the room they were in and at the space themed decorations around them, including the large mock shuttles hanging from the ceiling.

“This is an interesting place,” she said inching forward once more as the line moved.

“Yeah, it is. I love space themed things. They’re so cool.” She looked around. “If I was good at math and liked music a little less than I do I might have gone in that direction. But that’s a totally different story.”

Mina laughed. “So you almost became a scientist.”

“Eh, not really. It was a passing thought every now and again until I learned they had to take like fucking theoretical math and I am just not about that life. The astronomers can keep providing me with pretty pictures and crazy space science and I will definitely just stay in my little world of music appreciating it.”

“Yes, astronomy is rather fascinating. Actually, interest in stars was what first got me really into science as a child. My dad knew all the constellations and when I was really little, like three to four, he would take me out and name them for me. When I could read I got as many books as I could carry about them. One thing led to another after that and I fell in love with science and chemistry specifically.”

The line moved forward again and the next car up would be theirs. Beca bounced on her toes a bit.

“You, a star nerd, I would have never guess.” Beca snorted. “At least we can star nerd together.” She looked back at Mina. “Can you still name all the constellations he taught you?”

Mina nodded. “Of course. I could probably still tell you most of the names of the stars in each constellation too.”

“Wow, that’s impressive,” Beca said as the ride attendant waved them forward to get on. They had lucked into seats in the front row which made Beca even more excited. They’d get an up close view of whatever was on the ride, without anyone’s heads in the way. They climbed in and stapped on their belts and another attendant came forward and checked that they were all secure before they were lurching forward and into the darkness.

There was a small lift hill, but even with it only being small, Mina tensed. Beca grabbed Mina’s hands and squeezed, letting her know it would be all right, even if Mina already actually knew that. Mina squeezed back and they were off into a tunnel with flashing lights and rocket launching sounds. Beca smiled and looked around, disoriented by everything and excited at the same time.

The rocket noises stopped and suddenly everything around them went pitch black. Beca gasped as she saw stars blossoming around her in the blackness, rushing by as the rollercoaster picked up speed. They whipped around turned, went down drops, all while the stars raced past them. Beca’s heart beat loudly in her chest and she was having the time of her life. She laughed as they went down another drop, around another turn and she was thrown slightly into Mina. Mina just nudged her back into the proper seat and Beca was sure that if she could see Mina’s face she would be smiling.

Finally, they came into a tunnel where the stars turned into brightly colored lights, whipping by them for a few seconds before they were exiting back into the station. Beca laughed again and turned to Mina.

“Well, damn, that was pretty awesome,” she said, smoothing her hair back from her face. She was totally going to have to redo her ponytail when they got out of here.

“Yes, yes it was. I am glad you insisted on this ride.”

“Of course I did. It’s like a Disney rite of passage.”

The car pulled up and they unloaded, walking back into the bright Southern California day.

“You know, we never did get lunch. Or walk through the castle. Someone had to go win me a giant Cheshire Cat and we had to go find a locker to hold him.”

Mina laughed. “Oh, like you didn’t like that, mouse.”

“I never said anything about not liking it, now did I?” She stuck out her tongue. “But the fact of the matter is I’m hungry and our reservations for dinner aren’t until six.”

“Then let us go find some place to eat.” Mina grabbed her hand and led her off into the crowd, looking around them for a place that looked good.

“Bonus points if you can find a place with cornbread.”

“How will I know if they have cornbread?”

“Uh, you probably won’t, that’s why it was bonus points.” Beca laughed as Mina rolled her eyes. Sometimes it seemed like Beca made her do that enough that she shouldn’t have eyes left in her head.

They walked around for another little bit, heading towards the castle in a very roundabout way while looking for food. Beca spotted a fried chicken place, and if any place was going to have cornbread, it was totally them.

“Fried chicken?” Beca asked, pointing towards the stand with a bunch of outdoor seating.

“Is that what you want?” Mina looked a bit skeptical of her dining choices.

“I mean, that whole cornbread thing, so maybe?”

Mina wore a look like she thought she was a saint. “Fine then, I suppose we may eat there.”

Beca smiled. “Thank you.” She leaned up and kissed Mina on the cheek. “And just so you know, what we’re having for dinner is much more up your alley.”

“Oh and what is that?” Mina asked, looking down at her.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you. I’m going for surprises for this whole thing, remember? Like, I mean I didn’t tell you we were going to Disneyland, why ruin the theme now?”

“I suppose,” Mina sighed. “But you had better be right, little mouse, because fried chicken is not my thing.”

“But schnitzel totally is and that’s like almost the same thing.”

Mina looked at her like she was crazy. “I have no idea what you mean. They are completely different.”

“They are both breaded and fried meats. I mean, it doesn’t get much similar, now does it?”

“Says the woman without only cursory knowledge of how to cook.”

Beca shrugged. “But I do know how to bake and just because I put white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts in one batter and chocolate chips in another doesn’t mean they aren’t made up of the same basic components.”

They stepped into line for the little food stand. Beca smiled as she read the menu. Cornbread was one of the side options. Yes, sweet, sweet victory.

They ordered and got their food and sat down. Mina handed Beca her piece of cornbread and sipped at her water lightly. Beca lit up, taking the cornbread from Mina and munching on it happily. It wasn’t bad food actually. Not exactly like the south or anything, but close enough Beca could almost pretend she was home.

“Thanks, engel.” She munched on the bread with a smile.

“Oh, you’re welcome. More than welcome, really.”

“Don’t tell me you don’t like cornbread.” That would almost be blasphemy in Beca’s eyes.

“I do, but I’m not in the mood for it. And you like it so much, so it is no problem to let you have it.”

“Fluffy teddy bear,” Beca said, taking another bite.

“Only for you.” Mina snorted. “And maybe sometimes not even then.”

“Bears have claws dude. I never said you didn’t have claws, even if you are fluffy.” Beca shrugged.

Mina shook her head and picked up her first piece of chicken, nibbling on it with a martyred expression. “In a theme park with restaurants spanning the globe, you just have to pick the one American one, don’t you?”

“We were in the theme park in Copenhagen and went to a German restaurant. Stones and glass houses and all that.”

“Denmark is right by Germany. It makes sense for them to have a German restaurant.”

“Dude, we’re still in the US, and this is considered American food. So like, nah na na na nah nah.” She stuck out her tongue.

“Your argument skills leave much to be desired, mouse.”

“I never did like logical arguments when those came up in class.”

Mina arched an eyebrow. “But you like to how do you say, drop the mic, on dumb people. That does require logical arguments so you don’t sound like an idiot yourself.”

Beca brushed it off and actually moved on to eating her chicken. “Yeah, but like barely. The people you drop the mic on are barely sentient beings with their arguments. They think that women aren’t equal and like racism is dead in America. Not exactly much up there you know.” She pointed at her head with a chicken leg.

Mina looked down at the chicken leg and then up at her with an amused and exasperated expression on her face. “Why are you gesturing with meat?”

“Because it’s there. I mean technically if you think about it we’re always gesturing with meat.” She held up her hand.

“You sound like someone on Tumblr night blogging.” Mina shook her head.

“Hey! I’m not night blogging. Jesus, you’ve been on Tumblr long enough to know what night blogging is? Now they just call it shit posting.”

Mina hummed. “I am aware. I liked it better when it was called night blogging and somehow the Australians ended up blamed for it all. It was amusing.”

“Exactly how long have you had your personal Tumblr?” It had been months and yet she hadn’t been able to actually find Mina’s Tumblr. She had sort of just given up and vowed to let Mina have her own space, though she definitely didn’t go through the Tumblr for Kommissar every few days because there were some great pictures Mina’s ass in leather pants or anything. No, why would she do that when she had the real thing in front of her?

Because she was slightly pathetic but that was beside the point.

“Since late 2009. It’s been quite a while, really.”

“Jesus, that’s almost seven years. You’ve seen some shit.”

Mina laughed. “Oh, little mouse you have no idea. When did you join?”

“Sometime in 2012 during freshman year. It seemed like a good idea to find artists who were just starting out and stuff.”

Mina nodded. “So you weren’t around much for the pre-Yahoo buyout days.”

Beca shrugged. “Not really, I guess. It didn’t seem like it actually changed that much anyway and that people were making a huge deal out of it.”

“In theory, yes, but since…I have to wonder if they were not bought out if some of their practices would be as they are now.”

Beca shrugged. “Guess we’ll never really know.”

“True.”

They finished up their meal quietly. Beca snuck one of her hands across the table to hold one of Mina’s in the middle of eating. Eating fried chicken with one hand was an experience, but she was at least sort of coordinated enough to get the job done. Mina just looked at her, laughter in her eyes, as she kept on eating as neatly as if she had two hands instead of one. Beca had no idea how the hell she could do that, but it was Mina.

They continued on to Sleeping Beauty’s castle after they were finished eating. Beca led them into the dark space and they looked around at the faux medieval castle, walking through slowly as the story of Sleeping Beauty unfolded around them, told in stained glass, pages of a book, and murals that looked like they were 3D. Beca had to admit for a place you just walked through, it was entertaining. Also the fact that Mina was pressed up against her ninety percent of the time in the dark space wasn’t exactly a bad thing either.

Once they were done they walked out and looked around. “That was a good idea, beautiful. You have any more?”

“What about the flying elephant ride that they always seem to show on commercials?” Mina asked.

“You mean the Dumbo ride?”

“Yes, I think that is his name. I haven’t actually seen that movie.”

“Neither have I. Hasn’t been on my agenda since I got into movies. But I don’t think seeing the movie is a requirement to ride, so let’s go find that.”

They hit several more rides and when they were a bit rode out, they walked through a bunch of stores. Where of course Mina joked that Beca was tiny enough to fit in the princess dresses and Beca was very unamused. Just because she was sometimes small enough to still fit into girl’s clothing didn’t mean anything, damn it. She wasn’t a princess, she was a queen. Sort of. Not really. Maybe more like the court jester.

Beca managed to lose Kommissar in one of the stores long enough to buy a little plastic Evil Queen doll. She presented it to Mina with a smirk on her face. Mina held up her own bag and Beca knew what was in the damn thing before Mina even handed it to her. She pulled out a Minnie Mouse and looked at Mina with an unamused expression.

“I shouldn’t have taken you to a park where the two main mascots are mice. You just couldn’t resist, could you?”

Mina laughed and patted Beca on the head. “Of course not.” Her eyes lit up. “Oh, little mouse, we have to get your picture taken with one of them. It will be wonderful.”

“Oh no, oh hell no,” she protested, but Mina was already dragging her out of the store and in the direction of the little place where Minnie Mouse was to get pictures taken..

“If I have to get my picture taken with Minnie, you do too, you know. Or Goofy, because that’s what this is. We’ll be married with two kids in like twenty years and I will still be dealing with this mouse thing. I can feel it now.”

Mina pulled them to a stop and looked back at Beca. “Married with two kids? Twenty years?”

Beca’s eyes widened as she realized what she’d said. “I mean, if we want those things. But yeah, the twenty years part. You’re not going to get rid of me that easily, dude. If I have to put up with the mouse thing, you’re going to have to have to put up with my annoying presence for as long as possible to make up for it.”

Mina smiled brightly, pulling Beca to her and kissing her for a long moment before pulling apart again. “Good.” And then they were moving towards Minnie Mouse once again.

Beca was a little stunned, but it was the good kind of stunned. She followed along with Mina until they were in line to get her picture taken. With a bunch of small children, of course. They seemed to be the only ones without kids in the entire line. Ugh, this was going to be fun. The things she did for the woman she loved. She was totally going to make Mina get a picture with Goofy for this. And maybe one of the princesses for good measure. And they both were going to get a picture with Peter Pan. It was gonna happen. She would make it happen.

When her turn came she walked up to Minnie Mouse and stood awkwardly beside the person in an animal costume as they wrapped their arms around her for the picture. Mina was just laughing in the background as she kept snapping pictures of Beca’s complete and total humiliation. She didn’t know why, but taking pictures with the people who were just walking around in costumes and makeup weren’t as bad as taking pictures with the people in the suits. Not like it mattered, really, because they were all just playing characters as their jobs, but still, it felt different.

Mina finally lowered the camera and Beca said a quick thanks to Minnie before she shot off towards her girlfriend and the exit. Oh yeah, she was totally getting revenge for all of this later. If not in the form of awkward pictures with people in animal suits than with tickling or something equally harmless but fun. She started plotting away.

It turned out that like five minutes later they ran into Goofy and Pluto and Beca all but shoved Mina in their direction, laughing all the while as Mina was sandwiched in-between two costumed people both waving at the camera while Mina just looked a little amused and a hell of a lot less awkward than Beca herself had been, but that was really par for the course.

Mina walked back to her after the photos were done and they started to walk again. “I can’t imagine walking around in those suits is comfortable in hotter weather. I can’t imagine it’s very comfortable even know when it is a bit cooler.”

“I know they have fans in them and I think some of the fancier ones might actually be air conditioned somehow. I have no idea. I just think that would be the most awkward job ever, though.” Beca cringed. “Like, walking around for all intents and purposes in a furry suit while little kids crawl all over you and teenagers take awkward pictures with you. No, definitely not something I would ever do.”

“No, I would rather think it wouldn’t be something you would do. You aren’t a very social creature, liebling. I think you would handle one inappropriate father on the first day by telling him to shove it and that would be the end of your career at Disney.”

Beca nodded. “True, true. I don’t exactly take any shit. Good thing I’m in the music industry where telling people to shove it is almost expected at points. I picked the right profession.”

Mina laughed. “And so you did. I will have to deal with the government for research funding. I think that will be worse than dealing with small children, but at least for most of the time I will be in a lab environment. That should calm down a great deal of awkward situations.”

“Right, probably not. You are a woman in science. And in engineering for that matter even if it is bioengineering. Not exactly a woman heavy field. You may be scary but you’ll probably get hit on by awkward scientists.”

“Fair enough, but I am also very aware of how to shut people down efficiently.” She smirked. “And it is not always pleasant for those people who have been shut down, but it is perfectly civil for the most part.”

“You’re scary sometimes, you know that?”

Mina laughed. “Considering you just told me that I was scary, yes, I think I know that.”

“Right, but like…yeah. Glad you’re on my side most of the time.” She wrapped her arm around Mina’s waist as they kept walking. It was a little awkward due to the height difference, but she could make it work.

“As you should be.”


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so good news, new chapter, bad news, we've now hit where I've stopped writing. With as little writing time as I have this semester I can only work on one story at a time and only a thousand words every couple days. Everything should slack off soon I think after I take the Chem GRE next weekend, but until December and the passing of grad school application deadlines I can't guarantee anything.

They walked around the park some more, swinging by some smaller rides, and getting more pictures with the characters, all of them not in the animal suits, thankfully for Beca. It started to get later slowly as they started to wind down a bit. Walking around an amusement park for most of a day was more tiring than it really sounded it. But Beca was happy with how the day had turned out so far, and from the constant smile on Mina’s face, she thought that Mina had enjoyed the day too.

And then it was time for dinner and Beca led them towards their restaurant of choice as people swirled around them. Mina looked at her as they walked towards the restaurant as it came into view. Beca smiled up at her. Mina looked pleased, thank god.

“Is that where we are eating?” Mina asked, pointing ahead of them.

“Yup, that’s where we’re eating. I worked some magic and got us reservations.” Or Stacie had worked magic for her at the behest of Chloe. The girl really did seem to know everyone ever in the world, or at least she could flirt her way to anything she wanted if she didn’t know the person. Reservations two days out were a bit of a stretch, but she had pulled through wonderfully.

Mina inhaled and sighed. “It smells wonderful.”

“It had wonderful rating, so it should probably smell good. It’s all about the whole farm to table thing. I figured you would appreciate that.”

“Oh definitely.”

They entered the restaurant together and Beca gave her name to the hostess who nodded and picked up two menus. “Right this way, please.” She smiled at both of them and led them back into a restaurant. It was definitely nice, all warm wood and stone and bright white starched table cloths. Beca felt a little under dressed, but then again, she was sure that she wasn’t the only one in the world who showed up to this restaurant in clothes suitable for a day at an amusement park instead of in something dressier, so she didn’t feel too bad about it.

The hostess led them to a secluded little table for two and Beca was definitely going to have to send Stacie a thank you card later because it was perfect. It was lit with a little candle in the middle with flowers beside it. Beca sat down across from Mina who was smiling wide. The hostess handed them their menu and told them that their server would be right with them and all that jazz.

Beca opened her menu and looked over everything. What in the world did she want? What in the world did you order at a nice restaurant? She hadn’t really been to one before.

“Would you like to get an appetizer to share?” Mina asked.

“Uh sure.” Why not since they were here and it was their anniversary. Her wallet wasn’t going to thank her, but that’s what savings accounts were for, right?

“The Sparkling Seven Sins?”

Beca read over the description. She wasn’t sure what some of it was, but it didn’t sound bad. “Sounds good. You have any idea what you’re getting for your entrée?” she asked.

“I think I’m going to get the duck. You can so rarely get duck in the US, it’s a shame. It’s a good bird.”

“I’ve never actually had duck.” Beca tilted her head and looked at the menu.

“You can try a bite of mine. It doesn’t taste like anything you’ve probably had before, but it is good. What are you thinking?”

“I think the filet probably.”

Mina nodded. “Good choice. Then again, looking over the menu, I think everything is a good choice here. You chose the restaurant well.”

Beca smiled. “Yeah, I thought you would like this place better than the other nice place then have in the park. I’m glad I was right. Well, at least sort of right. Since you haven’t been to the other place there’s really no point of reference, but whatever.”

“I find it so cute that you still babble even though I don’t make you nervous anymore.” Mina’s look a was soft and so very loving.

“I don’t know about never making me nervous, but yeah nothing like you did at first. I don’t know how you didn’t like slap me half the time.”

“Because I found the compliments strangely flattering and because I was attracted to you from the second I saw you standing there in the middle of that car show room surrounded by the Bellas. I always have appreciated a nice looking woman, especially one that can make me laugh, tiny mouse.”

“Glad to serve then.”

A waiter greeted them and took their drink orders. Beca ordered some sort of red wine that she’d heard Mina talking about before and Mina got something white that Beca probably couldn’t pronounce again for the life of her, but the French rolled off Mina’s tongue like water. God, she was never going to get used to this woman speaking foreign languages, was she? The waiter nodded, and bustled off once more.

“You’ve been listening to the wine tips I’ve been giving you.” Mina smirked. “Glad to know it’s not all going in one ear and out the other.”

Beca stuck out her tongue. “Hey! I can learn when I want to, even if I’m not wine’s biggest fan, there’s some good wine out there and I trust your tastes to find them.”

Mina reached out and took Beca’s hand. “Oh, I am well aware that you can learn. You have a grip of bioengineering concepts that few people do because you can and do listen.”

“Yeah, yeah, and don’t think I don’t notice you playing around with my mixing software when I’m doing something else, working with some concepts I talked about earlier.” She blushed a bit.

“I’m glad that we have so many things to teach the other.” Mina’s thumb stroked over the back of Beca’s hand. Beca sighed and slumped a bit farther into her seat, relaxing a bit more at the touch. “It is beautiful as a couple that we can help each other grow in some way.”

“Yeah.” Beca tucked a few pieces of hair behind her ear. “I just love you so much, you know that?”

“Ich liebe dich auch, mouse. A great amount. These last six months have been some of the best of my life.”

“Same, definitely the same. I hope the next six months are even better because the next six months won’t have you spending half of that time in a foreign country literally an ocean away.”

Mina laughed. “Oh, that’s true. There’s definitely room for improvement. And let’s hope that the six months after that are even better than that.”

Beca’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of them being together even longer. She was glad that Mina thought about them lasting together for a long time. That was important, she knew. And she knew that Mina didn’t do anything halfway, but still. Verbal confirmation never hurt.

“Definitely.”

Their sommelier appeared at the side of their table and poured Beca’s wine first, going on and on about things that Beca didn’t actually understand, something about tannins and a list of supposed flavors she was supposed to get from the wine when she drank it. Beca just nodded, swirled the glass around a few times like Mina told her to, to let the wine breath, and watched as the guy repeated the process with Mina’s wine. Mina seemed to be eating up his every word. Beca wondered if that was the food junkie part of her that was enraptured or the chemistry nerd or maybe it was a bit of both.

The guy left a few seconds later and Beca raised her glass. “A toast to the future?”

Mina raised her glass and tapped it gently on Beca’s. “Yes, a toast to the future and to the improvements and love it may bring.”

They both sipped their wine, keeping eye contact for a second before Beca’s eyes fluttered shut. She hummed and swallowed.

“Wow, that was actually, really, really good.” She blinked open her eyes and looked down at her wine. “Maybe I should take your wine recommendations more often. Then again, as expensive as this was, maybe I shouldn’t. I don’t want to get used to the good stuff and like bankrupt us buying wine.”

Mina snorted. “I do also know other wines that are cheaper and just as good. That just happens to be my favorite out of all of them that I save for special occasions for just that reason. Grad students, even ones who were part of a successful multi-time world champion a Capella group, aren’t made of money.”

“I get that. Maybe someday I’ll be made of money and sleep on a bed of Grammys but that day definitely isn’t today.” She shrugged.

Their waiter appeared again and took their order. Beca actually couldn’t wait to get their food. The extra cornbread earlier had been great, but now she was super hungry again. Walking around an amusement park for most of a day would do that, she supposed.

Their conversation drifted off in the direction of Mina’s research. She was excited about a minor break through she’d had on a process to help one of her fellow grad students. Her own research was still really in its infancy. Beca knew that Mina was doing a huge amount of research on top of her lab hours to try and figure out exactly what had been done before, what could be improved upon, and what hadn’t been done at all. Beca hadn’t realized that grad research was so involved, but Mina seemed to be doing just fine with all of it, so that was what really mattered.

That flowed into talk of Beca’s work. Nikolai’s album was actually going really well. They’d finished another track, bringing the count up to four with a fifth definitely on the way. Nikolai himself was definitely working hard on his English skills. He wasn’t great by any means now, but he could communicate in simple sentences on his own and Beca always smiled as brightly as she could when he got something right, hoping that she was being encouraging. Because damn, languages were hard. Mina teaching her German was still stop and go after six months. She felt like she’d never be fluent.

Mina said she wanted to meet Nikolai at some point, which Beca wasn’t opposed to. Somehow even without talking to Nikolai much outside of the album, she had a feeling that the two of them would get along well. Then again, there was that whole translating phone call that they’d had months back where they seemed to be thick as thieves almost instantly, so maybe her guess wasn’t such a shot in the dark.

Their appetizer came out and Beca dug right in. Mina laughed at her obvious enthusiasm before reaching out and taking a bite for herself. Beca sighed. She’d definitely chosen the restaurant well, because the food was absolutely fabulous. Probably better than Mina’s, but she wasn’t about to tell Mina that. They probably just had better quality ingredients and it wasn’t as if Mina was a classically trained chef or anything, she was just a home cook. Which for the flavors she got out of food was really amazing in and of itself.

Across from her Mina was obviously enjoying herself, too. Her eyes were closed as she chewed with a rapturous expression.

“Good?” Beca asked after she swallowed.

Mina nodded and chewed for another moment before swallowing as well and answering verbally. “Oh yes, very much so. They seasoned everything perfectly and it’s balanced so well. I have to compliment you again on your restaurant choice because it really does live up to the advertising.”

“I’m glad.” She smiled and took another bite of one of the other things on the plate. “I also don’t hate the whole you complimenting me thing. I’m always down for that.”

Mina snorted. “Oh, little mouse, you have such a talent for taking a moment that could be very sweet and just being sarcastic enough to ruin it.”

Beca shrugged, facial expression saying ‘what can you do?’ “Yeah, it’s a talent. I can’t turn the sarcasm off.”

Mina sighed and tried to look disappointed, but there was a smile in her eyes and pulling at the corners of her lips. “Pity, really.”

“Oh shut up, you like the sarcasm. You’re the one who started calling me feisty mouse after all.”

Mina tilted her head. “And so you have me there.” Her mask broke and she smiled. “I wouldn’t change a thing about you. Most days. On the days we’re having a disagreement I might have a different answer, but on the whole, that is true.”

“And you’re just a literal fucking goddess, so why would I change anything about that?”

Mina’s smile morphed into a smirk. “Oh, I don’t know.” She scowled for just a second. “But what is it with Americans and using the world literal to mean figurative?”

“It started out as an exaggeration, a hyperbole really, and then sort of just spiraled downward once it hit the mainstream and now it’s actually in the dictionary as having both the actual definition and figurative. Gotta love English and that whole ever changing language thing.”

“All languages are changing, well, not dead languages, but that is a given. But how English changes is just a mystery to me.”

“Bet you had a fun time with English slang when learning, didn’t you?” Beca smiled at the thought of a small Mina trying to learn English slang with that adorable little scowl she got on her face sometimes when something completely confused her.

“Yes, I really, really did,” Mina said sarcastically. “Though honestly not as tough a time as Pieter did. As you can tell from the heated mess comment, he really still has a few problems, but now I think he likes the confused looks he gets so much that he’ll just keep doing it.” Mina shook her head fondly. “He’s a dummkopf.”

“He’s your best friend.”

Mina hummed. “Yes, I know. I wonder what that says about me sometimes.” She took another bite from the plate. Beca hadn’t even really registered but they’d somehow eaten half the damn plate while they were talking. Everything just tasted so good it was kind of hard to stop eating.

“That you like to surround yourself with other ridiculously intimidating high muscled Germans?” Beca asked.

“That is definitely part of it, I believe. After all, a little intimidation is fun, right mouse?”

“Uh, maybe not, but then again we probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the fact that you made me extremely scared, flustered and horny, so.” She shrugged and looked away.

“Exactly.”

Soon their appetizer plate was empty and Beca looked at it sadly. She was glad that there was more food on the way, even as her stomach registered that she definitely had a good portion of food in her, just not enough to fill her up quite yet. She just needed more good food. Maybe one day when she was a money making machine and could make a castle out of awards they would eat like this more often, but until then she was going to enjoy every minute of this along with every minute she could spend with Mina.

They talked about anything that came to mind until their entrees came out. Beca cut into her steak and sighed. It was perfectly cooked. Across the table Mina was taking a bite of her duck and humming.

“It’s wonderful.”

Beca took a bite of her own food and had to agree. “Ja, definitely.”

Mina smiled at the little slip into German but didn’t say anything, she just continued to eat. They ate together mostly in silence. Beca slipped her foot over to slip along Mina’s leg, but it didn’t really have the same effect she wanted it to considering they were in jeans and she was wearing sneakers. Mina still smirked at her and played right along though, so that’s really what mattered. She trapped Beca’s foot and slipped a hand under the table to tickle at Beca’s ankle until Beca actually had to pull her foot away.

“I’m not ticklish,” she said, tucking her legs as far away from Mina as she could get. “I don’t know what witchcraft you just worked, but I’m not ticklish.”

“I think your body just said otherwise. Also, if you can’t see my hands it’s more like to affect you since your brain can’t translate the finger movements into feelings before they happen. I may have looked into why people are ticklish after you told me that you just decided that you weren’t going to be ticklish one day.” Her smirk intensified. “I also might have found a few strategies to make sure I can thwart any tickle attacks you may foist upon me, but I haven’t really found the need to just yet.”

“You and your damn science ruining everything.” Beca stuck out her tongue for a second before popping the last bite of steak into her mouth. She was stuffed but it was definitely worth it.

“No, me and my damn science make everything better. If you understand how a brain picks up sensation you can also figure out ways to intensify feeling for rather…explosive results if you get my meaning. I could demonstrate tonight, if you would like.”

Beca swallowed hard. “You’ve just been waiting for a reason to whip that out too haven’t you?”

“Perhaps. An anniversary seems like a good time, don’t you think?”

Beca just nodded dumbly. Oh, she’d totally planned on sex being a part of their night, because who doesn’t think about sex on an anniversary, but Mina had just upped the ante like normal.

Mina pushed her empty plate forward so she could lean closer to Beca. “And I may have planned ahead and acquired a few things to help that along.”

“Oh?”

Mina nodded. “But where would the fun be in telling you what they are?”

“Evil, evil girlfriend.”

“Oh yes.”

Beca looked up and found their waiter quickly. It was totally time to pay the bill and go the fuck home. She had better things to do, more like better people to do in this instance, but that was sort of beside the point right now.

He appeared by their table and Beca was quick to ask for and pay the check. She hadn’t even looked at the total, she’d just handed over her credit card. Another five minutes and they were walking toward the parking lot to try and find their car. Thank god that Mina had actually written down where they were in her phone or Beca would have probably just wandered around for a while looking when she was in no mood to be looking at all.

She probably made a land speed record home and then up the stairs to the apartment with Mina laughing at her antics all the way. Beca didn’t really care. There were new toys and sex with Mina. Like. That was totally something to be super-duper excited over.

Beca shut the apartment door behind them and grabbed Mina immediately. She pressed the larger woman back against the door and kissed her hard, slipping her tongue into Mina’s mouth immediately, tasting expensive white wine and still that hint of spice that always accompanied Mina everywhere. Mina for her part went along with it, kissing Beca back, but letting Beca be in charge of the kiss. She hummed low in her chest and the sound made Beca just a little crazier than she already was.

She pulled back. “God, you’re so beautiful and just so fucking perfect for me, even with your stupid stubborn head, I just can’t stand it.”

Mina laughed. “Anyone else might see that as backhanded compliment.”

“Considering I compliment you when I insult you, is the reversal of that really surprising.” Beca leaned forward and started to suck at Mina’s neck.

Mina tilted her head to the side and sighed. “Oh no, it’s not. It’s very, very you, mouse.”

“Good.” Beca bit down gently and Mina moaned.

But the next second Mina was pulling her back. “As much as I’m enjoying this, would you like to find out what I had in mind for the night?”

Beca looked back at the fading mark she’d left on Mina’s neck and then up to Mina’s eyes. It was sort of a tough choice considering she could have her way with the woman right here and right now and Mina wouldn’t mind and they could get to whatever was new later, but Beca was super curious and the mention of new things in the bedroom was what had set off all of this rushing home in the first place.

“Yeah, but we’re totally getting back to this later.”

Mina laughed. She leaned down and pecked Beca on the lips once before stepping around her and walking towards their bedroom. “Good, I would like to get back to that.” She turned to look at Beca over her shoulder. “Because it was shaping up to be one of those nights where I wake up with scratch marks down my back, fucked completely raw, and I’m definitely in a rough mood tonight.”

Beca’s whole body throbbed as she watched Mina continue walking away. She wasn’t sure she could move anymore, but then again if she wanted to see what was in store for her, she had to move.

“Come along, little mouse, we won’t get anything done with you standing there with your mouth on the ground,” Mina’s voice floated back from the bedroom.

Beca’s mouth immediately snapped shut. She didn’t understand how one person could affect her so much, but damn Mina did. She rushed through the apartment to find Mina standing in their room holding a strip of fabric and looking at Beca with a hungry expression.

Mina stepped forward, closer to Beca. “Do you trust me, Beca?”

Beca blinked at the rare use of her name. “Of course I do.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” She held up the fabric. “Allow me to blindfold you, then?”

Beca swallowed. She’d thought about blindfolds before, but with all their other experimenting with their strap-on and handcuffs she hadn’t really gotten around to it just yet. It seemed that Mina was one step ahead of her yet again.

She nodded slowly. “Yeah, yeah definitely.”

Mina stepped even closer, dragging the ponytail holder from Beca’s hair and casting it aside before tying the blindfold securely around Beca’s head. Beca’s whole world went completely dark. She couldn’t see anything, not ever a speck of light. Her heart sped up just a bit, but she knew she was completely safe and she relaxed a second later.

“Can you see?” Mina asked her, fingertips tracing around the edges of the blindfold.

“Nope, not a thing.”

“Good, very good.”

A second later Beca was being kissed, gently and thoroughly. Mina’s tongue massaged hers and her teeth caught Beca’s lip, sending shivers through her. This was different than before, even though she’d kissed Mina a thousand times before.

Mina pulled back a second later. “You see, you can intensify all the other senses if you deprive a person of one. Most people know this, of course, in a dark room your hearing becomes sharper, you can smell more, things of that sort. But most people don’t really account for touch. Without sight your sense of touch becomes stronger too. You see, my research on tickling yielding this particular idea. The idea of you in a blindfold, squirming and at my mercy, well, it was too tempting to pass up, don’t you agree?”

“Yes,” Beca hissed out as Mina’s lips latching onto her neck and sucked hard.

“Good.” Her hands slipped under the hem of Beca’s top, tracing random patterns. “Then we will have a good amount of fun then.”

Beca swallowed hard as Mina stepped back just a bit and grabbed Beca’s shirt and pulled it over her head. Oh god, she was in for it tonight. Like probably wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow in for it, but she wasn’t exactly unhappy about that.

And then Mina was kissing her again, hands now freely roaming bare skin, and Beca didn’t think much at all after that.

 


End file.
